Unsung Heroes:  Classified File 3
by RavenLadies
Summary: G.I. Joe/Resident Evil crossover.  An idyllic beach vacation turns out to be anything but for Lifeline and Devil Dog when a specter from Umbrella's past reappears.  Strong language, violence, blood, gore, slash:  Billy Coen/Lifeline .  COMPLETED
1. Prologue

_This story is a work of fanfiction and is intended for entertainment purposes only. G.I. Joe, Resident Evil and its respective characters are the property of their creators, owners and distributors. The overall plot and any original characters are the property of the author(s)._

_Author's note: This story takes place approximately one year after the events chronicled in Unsung Heroes: Mission Two._

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Unsung Heroes: Classified File #3

Some nights, he still woke screaming, unable to remember the events that sent him fleeing from sleep. He would wake up with phantom pains that he didn't understand, half-remembered horrors that left him sweating and shivering, although he didn't suffer from the cold. He could hear the ghostly remnants of voices in his mind, murmuring words he didn't understand, the voices distorted as if filtered through water before they reached his ears. Sometimes he didn't hear them at all, the voices drowned out by the sound of his own screaming.

These things, these tiny fragments of sensory input and output, were the only memories Billy had of his time at the Lakeview Institute for the Criminally Insane. And although the institute itself was gone, those things it had created, and the things it had allowed the Umbrella Corporation to create with its knowledge, still existed. Lieutenant William Coen was living proof of that. He was also proof that while experiments often failed, sometimes it was the most unexpected variables that could produce results.

Billy had been carrying around the Trojan Horse parasite's spores for almost six years. He was an experiment long forgotten, seemingly ended when Raccoon City was destroyed, and with it, his last-known whereabouts. Lakeview had long since shut down, the victim of some terrible scandal (expertly calculated, of course, to close down the facility and leave the Umbrella lab nearby in peace); but the laboratory still ran, trying to re-create through damaged and missing files, the same parasite they had been trying to make before.

A variant on the Nemesis parasite, it didn't produce the same grotesque mutations as the other T/G-Virus strains did. It acted more like the T-Veronica virus, causing temporary, often willed manifestations. This parasite, unlike its fellows, also had built-in programming to take over the host's body, and then it's mind, leaving the now mutated and powerful entity open to Umbrella's orders. Somehow, even that had changed, however.

Perhaps it was because of the length of time that Billy had carried the spores before they were activated, but the parasite didn't manifest itself like it had in other test subjects. It imprinted, listed early on as an aberrant trait, to a loved one of the subject's, if they were allowed near. In Billy's case, the parasite imprinted on his lover, whom he had become intimate with during the initial manifesting. In short, it meant that the parasite not only _wouldn't_ attack Edwin, it also meant that it really _couldn't_, when all was said and done.

Although the parasite had been, for all intents and purposes, neutralized, Billy knew it wasn't completely dead. There had been no safe way to remove the thing from his body, so intimately had it wrapped itself around his internal organs. He had undergone extensive surgery to remove the remaining tentacles, one of the throwbacks to its Nemesis roots, and numerous skin grafts to repair the damage. In the process, he had lost a tattoo he had been rather fond of. Getting his life back in return, he knew, was worth the price. Skin could always be re-inked, after all.

The parasite and he knew one another, better than anyone could know either of them. Billy knew that if the parasite was truly dead, then he would be, too. Still, he kept such knowledge to himself. The remaining flesh, the Marine's own, coaxed into forming from the parasite's infection, seemed to have enough knowledge to remain very still. Occasionally, however, Billy would feel a muscle twitch, a faint stretching of skin perhaps, that just wasn't quite right. It was a small but frightening reminder of what he carried, and what he technically was now.

William Coen was a B.O.W. A Bio-Organic Weapon. Like a Tyrant. Like a Nemesis.

Like Albert Wesker.

* * *

Looking up from the report in his hand, Albert Wesker surveyed the two men sitting across the desk from him through darkly tinted lenses. "Let me make sure I understand just what it is you're wanting me to do," he said, his cultured voice caressing the words, almost coating them with a thin layer of slime. "You've lost control of one of uh–excuse me, one of _your_ bio-weapons, one that existed before the...merger. And now you want me to bring him back to you. The problem with this, of course, is that he's no longer a civilian, but has become a member of an elite military organization?"

One of the men nodded. "We also want you–"

"–to try and obtain combat data," the other finished.

"If possible," The first chimed in.

Wesker only barely kept the smirk from wandering to his lips. How many times, he wondered idly, had he been asked to gather "combat data" about Umbrella's B.O.W.s? Too many, he decided, and too many of those situations had ended up badly. Still, there weren't many things that kept Albert Wesker entertained anymore. ". . . And you're prepared to make it worth my while to obtain the . . . data and specimen?"

"But of course." the man on the left said, an ugly looking scar marring the right side of his otherwise handsome face. "We've been assured that you are the best man for this job-"

"-and we realize that as such, the price for your services reflects that." The other finished, his face a mirror of the other's sans the scar. "We're prepared to offer you -"

" - a very generous stipend in addition to your normal fee once we have the bio-weapon in hand."

Wesker leaned back in his chair, regarding the two men quietly once again. The fee he had asked of them had been high enough. The idea of an additional bonus of sorts made for a handsome sum indeed. And all of it simply to catch another bio-weapon. A tiny smile touched his lips, not a smirk, but a cold little smile. "I think you make a very compelling bargain, gentlemen," he said. "I believe we have ourselves a deal."

"Very good," the scarred man said as his twin reached and placed a plain 9 x 12 kraft-colored envelope on the desk. "This is - "

"- the information that we have gathered on the bio-weapon. It's current place of residence -"

"- as well as it's familial ties." Xamot finished.

"Excellent," Wesker said, reaching out and taking the envelope. Then he rose to his feet. "I'll take my leave of you then," he said. "It would seem I have work to do."

The twins rose as well. "We'll expect -" Tomax started.

" - to hear from you soon," his brother continued.

" - in regards to your progress." Tomax finished.

"Of course," came the reply, accompanied by a slight nod of the head. "But do try to be patient. Dealing with bio-weapons can be...delicate work."

"You are -" Xamot said.

"- the expert -"

"Mr. Wesker." the twins finished in unison.

Wesker turned and walked from the office, unable to help but chuckle as he did so. _They have no idea . . ._


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Billy Coen pulled the rented Explorer into the driveway, following the crushed shell-covered track about a quarter of a mile before their destination came into view. Behind the weathered wood structure, the sun was sparkling off the ocean like diamonds.

"Wow," the man in the passenger's seat said. "Look at that view."

That view and the white painted bungalow that overlooked it were to be their place of residence for the next three weeks – three weeks of nothing but sun, surf, fishing and each other.

The pair had flown into San Francisco and then taken an airbus shuttle to the Monterey Peninsula Airport before picking up their rental vehicle. The drive to nearby Carmel-By-The-Sea had been nice, the view from the coastal highway almost as nice as the one that now greeted them at their destination. This trip would be the first real vacation that either of them had had in well over two years, and they had every intention of taking full advantage of it.

Edwin had rented the bungalow over the Internet, with only pictures and the realtor's description and assurances to guide him. As he looked out at the sparkling ocean just mere yards away from the small house, he couldn't help but feel that he had gotten his money's worth, even as steep as the price had been.

"Y'know," Billy said thoughtfully as he brought the vehicle to a stop and let his blue eyes scan over their surroundings. "When you told me about how you found this place, I had my doubts . . . but this is nice. Real nice."

"I wanted something in Monterey," Edwin said. "But the realtor kept telling me how beautiful this place was; and that if we wanted to be right on the beach, Carmel was the place to go."

"And we're not that far from Monterey," Billy pointed out, setting the parking brake and turning off the ignition as he released his seatbelt.

"Only a couple of miles," his companion agreed as he too released his safety belt.

Billy nodded, slipping out of the vehicle and stretching slowly. Between the flight, the shuttle, and the drive, he had just about had his fill of sitting for awhile, his body stiff and unused to the lack of activity. As he stretched, his back gave a tiny twinge, and he made a face. Although it had been almost a year since they had neutralized the parasite within him, his physical road to recovery had been a long one, and the deep scars that marred the small of his back occasionally seemed to need to remind him of that, in their own subtle way.

As he got out of the Explorer, Edwin couldn't help but breath in a deep lungful of air, the scent heavy with the smell of saltwater. The medic closed his eyes behind his prescription sunglasses for a few moments as he let the heat of the sun wash over him.

"Three weeks," Billy said, mostly to himself as he took a deep breath and smiled, then turned toward Edwin. He said nothing when he saw the medic just enjoying the sunshine, only watched his lover quietly, deciding he liked how relaxed Edwin was looking already.

Feeling the Marine's gaze on him, Edwin opened his eyes and turned towards the other man, a faint smile finding it's way to his lips. Billy grinned back, tilting back the brim of his cowboy hat slightly as he did so.

The medic's smile widened a bit as he looked at the other brunette, glad to see the Marine looking like his old self again. The past year had been a difficult one for Billy, both physically and emotionally; and while his physical wounds had healed, Edwin knew that not all of his psychological ones had.

At the moment, though, Billy seemed to be doing all right. Intense physical training had given him back his bulk, and running maneuvers with the remainder of his unit had given him back his tan, one that would likely darken during their vacation here.

It had not been easy for Billy to ask for the time off. Between his physical therapy, trying to hone his unit's training now that Kenya Strong had come back to them, and taking up the bittersweet task of finding a replacement pilot for the late Raphael Hopper, Billy simply had had no real personal time to himself. So when Edwin had come to him with the suggestion they try to take some time off together, the Marine had originally balked at the idea. There was simply too much to do.

In retrospect, Billy was glad Edwin was more persuasive sometimes than he was stubborn.

"C'mon," the medic said as he made his way around the front of the vehicle. "Let's check out the inside."

"I'm right behind you," Billy said, shaking himself from his thoughts and following after Edwin.

True to her word, the realtor had left the keys in the mailbox earlier that morning before their arrival. The men made their way through the small cottage-like structure which consisted of two bedrooms, living room, kitchen, bathroom and a small utility room that held a washer and dryer. The kitchen had a sliding door that led out onto a wooden deck complete with a pair of lounge chairs and a barbecue grill.

"All the comforts of home and then some," Billy remarked as they wandered through their rented home, smiling. "Gonna be a nice vacation spot."

Edwin nodded, the medic opening the refrigerator and then a couple of the cabinets, slightly surprised to find that they had been sparsely stocked with some basic items, apparently part of the service provided by the rental company along with the fruit basket on the counter that had greeted them when they had entered the kitchen.

Billy, in the meantime, had made his way out onto the deck, admiring the view and inspecting the barbecue grill. More than pleased with both, he finally leaned in the doorway between the kitchen and the deck, and just let himself enjoy the scents and sights of his surroundings. The ocean was a soothing sound, and he was more relaxed than he had been in nearly a year.

The medic slipped up behind the Marine and rested his chin on Billy's shoulder as he snaked his arm around his waist. Billy all but purred at that, leaning back into the one-armed embrace, tilting his head to let it rest against his lover's.

The pair stood there quietly for a bit, just content to be with one another while the sound and smell of the ocean wrapped around them. "Thanks for talking me into this," Billy finally said quietly, reluctant to break the silence, but feeling the words needed to be said.

"We promised, remember?"

"I remember," Billy replied, pushing gently away from the doorway and turning toward Edwin.

"I was only making sure you held up your end." The medic said softly, a faint smile on his lips as he looked at the other man.

Billy chuckled. "Never thought I'd see the day where you'd be telling _me_ I was working too hard."

Edwin's smile widened a bit. "Must be my bad influence."

That drew an honest laugh from the Marine. "Gotta be," he agreed.

Lifeline looked at Billy for a few moments, smile still lingering. "Why don't we unload our gear," he suggested. "Afterwards we can go check out the beach."

"Sounds like a plan," Billy said with a nod and a smile of his own. He leaned up a little to press a brief kiss to the medic's lips before pulling away reluctantly and making his way for the front door again.

It didn't take very long for them to get their things unloaded and stowed away, suitcases left in the bigger of the two bedrooms to be unpacked later, their fishing rods propped against the wall in the utility room. Edwin took a few minutes to open some of the windows to let in the fresh air.

Once they had brought everything inside, Billy made his way out onto the deck yet again, lighting up what would likely be his only cigarette of the day. He had cut back considerably since the parasite was neutralized, at first because of his extended hospital-like stay, and afterwards because he had managed to get around the bulk of the addiction while he had been a "guest" at the STRATCOM facility. He hadn't really said much about it to Edwin, but he was proud he had gone from nearly a half-pack, sometimes a pack a day, down to only a cigarette or two.

Lifeline followed his lover outside a few minutes later, the sound of waves crashing on the shore of the private beach behind the bungalow. Billy was stretched out in one of the chairs, his cigarette dangling lightly from his fingers, his eyes at half-lids.

Once again, a small smile tugged at Edwin's lips as he looked at the other man, Billy so relaxed and seemingly at home. "You look like you're ready to fall asleep."

"Nah, not quite that far gone yet," Billy murmured, tilting his head up just enough to peer at Edwin from under the brim of his hat.

"The beach can wait if you want to lay out here."

"Nah, I don't mind checking it out." The Marine put out the mostly smoldered away cigarette and rose slowly to his feet. "Might find somewhere out there more comfortable to stretch out, after all. And the walk'll do me good after the trip."

The pair made their way down towards the beach via a set of wooden steps off the deck, trekking through the dune before making it down to the shoreline. It had been quite awhile since Billy had been to a beach, and the sight of the ocean before him took his breath away, stopping him dead in his tracks. Edwin continued on, closer to the water, unaware that his companion had stopped.

Billy shook himself and started after Edwin, but the awe hadn't left him and his steps were slow, the Marine unable to take his eyes from the view before him.

Unlike his companion, who had been born and raised in Arizona, Edwin was used to seeing the ocean, having grown up in Seattle, which boasted a world renowned harbor that led out into the cool northern Pacific waters. Still, the the medic couldn't help but find the sound of gulls wheeling overhead and the crash of the surf along the shore to be as beautiful as the sparkling waters of Puget Sound back home.

When Billy reached the edge of the water, he stopped again and stared, his hands in his back pockets. The roar of the ocean was louder there, but not unbearably so, and he was dimly aware that from where he was standing, the water just barely lapped up onto the toes of his boots. He hadn't really dealt with oceans, or any body of water, very willingly since his ugly experiences in the Umbrella Training Facility. And even once he was a free man, he found rivers and lakes more accessible for fishing. So to see the ocean again like this was to find himself in awe of the power of that water, and the realization of the size of what he was looking at.

After a few moments, Edwin nudged his lover, the two men following the shoreline for a bit, Billy's booted feet leaving deep impressions in the wet sand behind them. They didn't venture too far, not wanting to trespass on anyone else's property, before they turned back to their rented bungalow, the pair walking quietly while the bright sunshine beamed down on them.

"This is nice," Billy said as the cottage came back into view again. "Quiet, private, and you can't beat the view."

"I guess it meets with your approval, then?"

"It means three potentially uninterrupted weeks with you. Alone. On a private beach." Billy gave Edwin a smile that was a barely disguised leer. "You tell me."

"Maybe I _should_ have left you at home." The medic said, nonplussed.

Billy only chuckled and slung an arm around his lover. "Seriously, though," he said, his tone softening. "I'm looking forward to actually getting to spend some real quality time with you. We haven't had much time for that, just lately."

"I know," Edwin agreed. "Part of the job, unfortunately."

Billy nodded, and said nothing more on the subject, keeping his arm around the other man when Edwin didn't seemed bothered by the show of affection. The couple had not seen anyone else during their short trek on the beach, and since they were almost back at the bungalow, the medic let himself indulge in his lover's attention a bit.

Even once they'd reached the cottage, again standing on the back patio, Billy seemed reluctant to give up the embrace, leaving his arm around Edwin and keeping him close. It was nice, he reflected, to be able to indulge his more affectionate side without having to keep up quite the same level of conscious alertness that they often had to back home.

Lifeline turned a bit, hooking his finger in one of the belt loops of Billy's jeans as he looked at the blue eyed man. The Marine looked at Edwin as he turned, finding his eyes locked with his lover's coffee-colored gaze. The medic leaned in and brushed a light kiss over Billy's lips, a faint smile on his face as he pulled back.

"C'mon," Billy said, smiling at the kiss. "Let's go finish unpacking, then we can crash for awhile." Edwin nodded his dark head as he let go of the Marine's belt loop. Quietly, Billy steered them both into the house.

* * *

"I appreciate you being able to rent this place to me on such short notice, Miss Trego."

Kathrine Trego just smiled and made a dismissive gesture with her hand. "It's no trouble at all, Mister Foxwell," She said. "It's not every day we get someone of your . . . means who wants to rent one of our humble little cottages."

It was barely an effort to bring what appeared to be a warm smile to the man's face, an expression that only would have been revealed as false if Albert Wesker had not been wearing his sunglasses. A little digging ensured he knew his quarry was on leave, and had reportedly gone on vacation with one Edwin Steen. He also knew that this Edwin Steen had rented one of the bungalows here along this stretch of private beach, and wasted no time in renting one of his own nearby. Not under his _own_ name, of course.

Over time, Wesker had developed several different persona, and Charles Foxwell was probably the one he used the most often, at least when his dealings were going to be mostly legal. He had other, less savory names for his illegal dealings, one of which was his own. But Charles Foxwell had no criminal records, and all of the credit cards Wesker used were in that name. It didn't hurt that Foxwell had money to burn, which tended to loosen tongues and give him access to places he wouldn't otherwise be able to get into.

And he didn't plan on doing anything illegal. For the moment, he simply wanted to observe his prey, and those around him. There was no need to hurry, after all, and if he could keep things quiet for a time, Wesker fully planned to. It served him no purpose at all to draw Coen out, only to draw undue attention to himself. Better to quietly draw Coen somewhere more secluded, where the two of them might play in peace. The thought made Wesker smile even more, the expression not entirely pleasant.

"Er, Mister Foxwell?"

The nervous tone in the woman's voice snapped Wesker from his reverie, and he quickly wiped the malice from his expression. "Forgive me, Miss Trego. I seem to have wandered off somewhere unpleasant."

"Well, with luck, a few weeks here will have you cured of all that unpleasantness," Trego said, grateful to have an excuse to slide into her usual sales pitches again. "I'll just give you the keys and be on my way."

The real estate agent made a hasty retreat that only bordered on insulting, but Wesker was too amused to be offended. With unusually high spirits, he let himself into his rented bungalow and decided this trip might actually find itself enjoyable.

* * *

Most of the rest of the day was spent unpacking, rearranging, and just generally making the little bungalow feel more like a lived-in home. Both men took the time to shower, and settled on a meal of cold sandwiches and fruit. It was too warm to make cooking a desirable thing, and when it came down to it, after the trip in, neither of them was feeling up to that particular chore.

Before they had left Cedar City, Edwin had paid a visit to the local bookstore, stocking up on a handful of titles that he had been meaning to read but not had the time to, adding them to his suitcase when he had packed for the trip. After their light dinner, Billy had slipped back out to the deck, presumably to smoke, while the medic had settled on the couch to read for a bit.

Sitting out on the deck of the cottage he and Edwin had rented for their vacation, watching the sun turn the sky and the ocean a myriad of dark colors, Billy decided that he had far too much time to think. And as he often did when he had that kind of time for reflection, he turned his mind to self-criticism. After the past year, he felt he had plenty within himself to be critical of.

While he had known he and his unit would be facing unusually dangerous situations as the bio-weapons specialists for G.I. Joe, Billy hadn't in a million years ever guessed that he would have had a year like this last one. His second had been exposed as an impostor, a Cobra spy sent to keep an eye on him and try to effect his capture. One of these attempts to capture him had wounded his medic, Marcel Hancock, and nearly killed Jocelyn Freeman, one of his sharpshooters. Billy had been exposed as being a bio-weapon himself, something even _he_ hadn't realized until the first time the parasite within him manifested itself. Raphael Hopper, his unit's pilot, had been killed in the line of duty. And Billy, held not only in containment but quarantine, had been unable to deliver the news of the soldier's death, the task instead falling to Scarlett. And, of course, there had been Kenya Strong's request for an extended leave of absence, one that had been granted with the understanding that at the end of the ninety-day period, she had to either come back to duty, request a transfer, or request to leave the military altogether.

All of these things, falling nearly on top of one another, left Billy feeling like he had failed at everything he had turned his hand to since joining the Joes. He wondered, as he often did when his mind traveled down this well-worn path, if Duke and the others had made a mistake taking him on; and if perhaps he would have been better off requesting a medical discharge from the military, and just drifting quietly into obscurity. Even if he hadn't been able to get one before, after all the injuries he had taken in the line of duty since joining the Joes, it would be more than easy to get one now. If not for the physical damage, than for the psychological.

Even so, no one _seemed_ to be blaming him for what had happened. They didn't have to, though. Billy blamed himself, and that was enough. If he had only trained them better, found a way to better prepare them for what they would be actually facing in the field . . .

Billy forced himself to abandon that train of thought before he was able to take it too far. It was a useless one at best. Both he and the Joes were dealing with a lot more than either was used to. The Joes had never really dealt with Umbrella, and Billy had never, to his knowledge, dealt with Cobra before. The fact that both of these organizations had merged into one only meant that both became that much more unpredictable, that much more dangerous. Even Duke had admitted at one point that the Joes were out of their depth, so how could they not accept that he was, too?

That didn't change the fact that Hopper was dead, that Freeman had nearly died, and that he had nearly lost a group of Joes and Rebecca Chambers to a mission trying to recover a cure for his condition. Rebecca had told him about what Edwin had done to save her, and the fact that the medic had had to use his Magnum bothered Billy. He had sent it along for protection, of course, knowing it could down a T-Virus zombie in one shot. But he hadn't actually expected Edwin to have to use it. And the use had cost the medic dearly, traumatizing him in a way Billy both could and couldn't understand. It made Billy wonder often, was he _really _worth the cost of another person's life? Billy didn't think so, but he'd had little say in the matter. That didn't keep it from weighing on him, however.

And then, of course, there was his son. Billy and Robby had only recently been given a chance to try and make up for lost time, Billy taking the drive into Arizona whenever he had a enough free time. Usually he and the boy spent the day together in town, taking lunch together or going fishing, or something equally mundane and bonding-oriented. Whenever possible, Billy tried to keep these visits as far from Heather as was humanly possible, preferring to try and give Robby a chance to talk to his father away from his mother's unwelcome commentary and criticisms. While Robby understood that much of his father's work was top secret, that didn't keep Billy from musing that the boy had no idea that his father had nearly died twice. And didn't he owe it to the boy to let himself get a medical out, so he wouldn't be in so much danger anymore? But no, he and Robby had talked a few times about that, and Robby was adamant that he was proud of his father, and had even gone so far as to say that he felt safer at night, knowing that his dad was out there with the rest of the Joes keeping the world safe. On the one hand, that had warmed Billy's heart, but on the other, it made him wonder if his son really understood what the price could, ultimately, be.

To be fair, though, things hadn't fallen _completely_ apart. In the long run, Kenya Strong had ultimately decided to stay with Billy's unit, welcomed back with both surprise and elation by all her teammates, Billy included. The _real_ Nina Hutchinson had taken her place as Billy's second, and quickly proved herself to be even more efficient and supportive than her _doppleganger_ had ever been. She didn't seem to mind at all that Billy had been relying on her heavily since she had been released back to full duty. She almost seemed to expect it, and she may well have. She had _seen_ Lakeview, had been a prisoner in the lab beneath it for months, and she knew his history with that place. So it wasn't surprising to think that her patience stemmed from that.

And when it came to him, his unit _seemed_ pleased with his return to full active duty, welcoming him as warmly as if the whole Lakeview incident had never happened. That he had a neutralized Umbrella parasite in his own body didn't seem to bother them, either. They ran his exercises without complaints, often ribbing him when he wasn't quite able to keep up. These bouts of teasing were tempered, however, with assurances that he would be back up to par in no time. And he had recovered, slowly but surely.

The only thing he had left undone before coming on this vacation with Edwin was dealing with replacing Hopper. He had been keeping a close eye on the incoming green shirts, and he had picked a few likely candidates, but hadn't had the heart to pursue it any further than the tentative selection and observation. He'd asked Hutchinson to keep an eye on the individuals he had selected, but not to take things any further than that. It was something he wanted to deal with himself, something he knew he _had_ to deal with himself, and he prayed that he would be in the right mindset to try by the time his three week vacation was up.

He also wanted to try and use the time to make a solid decision on whether or not he actually planned on staying with the Joes. It wasn't like they couldn't get others to train the new recruits, and it might be better for him in the long run, but somehow, it felt like giving up on his unit, and on the chance he had been given to resume his military career. He didn't want to give that up. He loved being a soldier, and he knew that he and his unit _could_ make a difference in the fight against Cobra and Umbrella. But the work they were doing had a very small margin of error, and Billy didn't want to see any more serious injuries or casualties because of oversights or negligence. And didn't that require that he stay where he was, and ensure his unit was better trained for the next time a situation like Lakeview came up?

Billy shook his head. He would think about all that later, he decided, sighing out the last drag from his cigarette and grinding it out. Part of him wanted to get up, but the rest of him protested; he was comfortable and the weather was nice enough to let him get away with staying right where he was. Not to mention the fact that he really didn't want to worry Edwin too much with his musings. He had left Edwin reading inside when he had come outside. His lover tended to lose track of time when he was reading, and Billy was counting on that to keep Edwin from worrying if he came out of his book and found Billy still outside on the deck. Billy knew the medic took it hard when the wounds he was suffering from were emotional, and therefore something he couldn't fix. Billy knew he would recover eventually, and that only time was really going to let him do that.

Just as Billy knew he would, Edwin had become engrossed in his book, the brunette man pausing only long enough to readjust his position on the couch before picking up the thread of words on the pages before him once again.

It meant the Marine was left amidst his thoughts, which continued to gnaw at him until restlessness finally drove him from his lounge chair and he walked quietly back into the house. Lifeline didn't hear his lover's return to the house, his attention completely absorbed in Jared Diamond's latest bestseller, _Collapse_.

Billy paused long enough to look at his lover, and check the title of the book the man was reading, before smiling a bit and passing through the living room as quietly as he could on his way to the bedroom. He was starting to get a distinct throb in his left temple, the earliest indicator he was in for a hell of a headache if he didn't try to quiet his mind again soon.

It was the failing light coming in from the windows that finally drew Edwin's attention away from his book, the medic glancing down at his watch, blinking in surprise at the amount of time that had passed. Marking his place, he closed the book and set it down on the cushion next to him before rising from the couch, stretching his long lean frame a bit. Moving away from the sofa, he turned on one of the table lamps as he made his way to the kitchen. Looking out the sliding glass door, he frowned a bit when he found the deck empty. The frown still marring his features, Lifeline padded back out into the main room and crossed over towards where the bedrooms were, poking his dark head through the doorway of the room that he and Billy had taken as their own.

The Marine was lying on his side, his back to the doorway. He didn't seem to be asleep, shifting slightly and rolling onto his back when he heard Edwin's footsteps approaching.

Lifeline leaned in the doorway, his dark eyes falling on his lover's prone form. "Ready for bed already?" He asked softly.

"Trying to get the pounding in my head to lay off for a bit," Billy murmured softly back.

Edwin pushed away from the door frame, frown returning as he quietly made his way over to the bed. "Another headache?"

Billy gave a very slight nod, his blue eyes turning up to his lover as Edwin approached. "Yeah..."

The medic gently sat down on the edge of the queen-sized bed. Reaching out, he lightly laid his hand on the Marine's tattooed forearm. Billy closed his eyes as he slowly moved, shifting to lay his head in Edwin's lap. It was only a slightly awkward position, and it made him feel better.

Slipping his hand from the other man's arm, Lifeline brought it up, his long fingers gently sliding into his lover's dark hair.

"It'll pass," Billy said quietly, relaxing marginally at Edwin's gentle touch.

"It's been a while since you've had one," the medic said.

_ Been awhile since I had one I told you about_, Billy corrected wordlessly, but said aloud, "Had . . . a lot of my mind. Seems to happen when I think too much."

"You're on vacation soldier boy." Lifeline's fingers continued to gently thread through the Marine's brunette hair. "You're not supposed to think."

"Hard not to," Billy protested quietly. "I don't have time to think when I'm on duty. Not beyond the drills I run my unit through and trying to find a replacement pilot . . ."

"You've been brooding again."

"I haven't been brooding."

"No?" Edwin asked softly. "Then what were you doing that you've given yourself a migraine?"

"Thinking . . ." Billy said, then paused, hesitating, before he spoke again. The words came hesitantly at first, as Billy tried to collect his thoughts into some kind of coherent form. But he quickly abandoned that idea and just started talking and before he knew it, he was pouring out everything to Edwin, from fears to concerns to the decisions he knew he had to make. Just talking about it made his head throb worse, but he didn't stop until he'd said everything he needed to say.

While the Marine spoke, the medic's finger stilled, his hand slipping away from Billy's coffee colored locks to lightly settle on his chest. Edwin listened quietly, pained by all the things that his lover had kept inside for the past year or so, Lifeline also feeling a bit disappointed that Billy had not confided in him before now.

"And I've wanted to tell you all this, but I didn't want to upset you, or burden you with it . . . but goddamn it, I don't think I can take this much longer," Billy finally concluded in a hoarse whisper, his hand coming to settle on Edwin's.

Lifeline squeezed his dark eyes closed for a moment. "You did the best that you could under the circumstances, Billy." He said after a few long quiet moments, his voice soft. "Which is all that anyone could do."

"Just seems like there should've been something more . . ." Then his eyes opened and he looked up at the medic. "Do you think I made a mistake? Joining the Joes, I mean? Do you think I made the right choice?"

"Maybe you should ask yourself why you joined them." Lifeline replied after several long moments. "I'm not vain enough to think that you did it for me."

"No," Billy said, shaking his head. "You were a factor, but there was more to it than that . . ." He was silent for a moment. "When I found out about Umbrella and Cobra . . . saw how unprepared for the B.O.W.s you guys were . . . I-I couldn't just sit by and not jump on an offer like that . . ."

"Do you still think that was a good reason?"

Billy nodded. "I think so . . . but I just don't feel like I've managed to follow through that well..."

"This alliance between Cobra and Umbrella took us all off guard," Lifeline said quietly. "But just think of where we'd be without you."

The Marine was silent for a time, considering that. "I . . . hadn't really thought about that," he said softly, opening his eyes and looking up at his lover. "All I keep thinking about is Freeman, and Hopper . . . about what almost happened to Rebecca, and about you . . . None of this would've happened if it weren't for me . . ."

"You don't know that . . ."

"The hell I don't," Billy said. "Freeman was hurt when Cobra ambushed us trying to capture me. Hopper and the rest of you would have never gone into Lakeview if it weren't for that . . . that damned thing in me . . ." Billy's voice was starting to shake a little.

Edwin's dark eyes squeezed shut for a few moments. "We all made a choice," he started after a few moments, his voice soft. "to do what we did."

". . . You shouldn't have had to . . ." Billy shifted, sitting up slowly, ignoring the pounding in his head as he wrapped both arms around his lover and pulled him desperately close.

Lifeline slid his arms around the other man, one around the Marine's waist the other sliding up his back to cradle the back of Billy's head. "None of what happened was your fault, Billy."

The Marine buried his head against Edwin's shoulder, feeling hot tears stinging at the back of his eyes and trying with all his might not to give into them. "It just feels like it," he managed to murmur, his voice hitching a little as he spoke.

"I know things haven't worked out quite the way they were supposed to, but nobody is blaming you for that." The medic whispered.

"No?" Billy's tone was tentative, hardly daring to let himself believe the words he was hearing.

Edwin's arm tightened around the Marine a bit. "You did all that you could," he said. "And the rest of us did what we had to."

Billy nodded and then his arms tightened around Edwin a little. ". . . I've still gotta find a new recruit, though . . ." he said softly. "I'm not looking forward to that . . ."

"I know," the medic agreed softly. "It won't be easy; but you'll find the right one."

Sighing heavily, Billy shook his head a little and looked up at Edwin. "Listen to me," he said, meeting the other man's eyes. "Sitting here on vacation whining like this . . . I'm sorry, Edwin."

Lifeline slid his hand from the back of his lover's head, bringing it forward to cup the side of the Marine's face. He shook his head a little. "There's nothing to be sorry for."He said softly, his brown eyes gentle as he looked at Billy.

Billy met that gaze, his own eyes intense as he seemed to be looking for something. How long he sat, staring into Edwin's eyes, the Marine wasn't sure. But he found what he was looking for and dropped his own eyes abruptly, smiling a little. "I . . . I know it'll get better . . . I just . . . this whole thing just got off to a rough start," he said.

Edwin nodded. "Just promise me that if things get bad again that you'll talk to me, and not keep it all pent up inside."

"I promise I will." The words were soft, but sincere.

The medic's fingertips brushed up over Billy's temple. "How's your head?" he asked softly.

"Still hurts some," Billy said softly, tilting his head into the touch. "It'll pass, though . . ." He smiled wryly. "You know . . . thinking isn't supposed to hurt this much."

"Must be that thick Marine skull." Edwin said, smiling. "Keeps the brain from getting enough oxygen."

That actually drew a laugh from Billy. It was a soft laugh, in deference to his lingering headache, but a laugh nonetheless. "Guess maybe I've just been agonizing over all this stuff just a little too long, huh?"

"Maybe." The medic said softly, leaning in a bit closer to press a gentle kiss to the Marine's lips.

A soft sound escaped Billy as their lips touched, and he let his embrace tighten just a little in reply. His fears and doubts still rattled in the back of his mind, but they were quiet things now, brought back into perspective by his lover's patient tone and ears. Billy promised himself in that moment that no matter what happened from then on in, he'd never, ever hesitate to go to Edwin for support. After all, they were a team, and that meant supporting one another. _You've been a damn fool, Coen_, he thought. _Don't do it again._

Edwin pulled back after a few moments, the kiss meant to be reassuring, his earlier disappointment gone. He really had no reason to have felt that way he knew. That was one of the few things that he and Billy actually had in common, their penchant for keeping things bottled up inside, neither one of them very good at expressing themselves emotionally, though they had improved a bit over the course of their three year relationship.

Though the medic had said very little to Billy about what had happened at Lakeview, what he had seen and more importantly, what he had done still haunted him. His killing of the Trojan Horse carrier had irrevocably changed him and stripped away whatever innocence he might have still possessed. But as he had told Billy, he had done what he had to because Rebecca had been the only hope that the Marine had and if any of them had to have gotten out of that godforsaken place, it had to have been her.

Billy reached up, touching Edwin's cheek softly. "I'm still . . . sorry things happened like they did with that place," he said, not bothering to name the asylum. "I never wanted you to have to use that Magnum . . . I hope you know that."

Lifeline looked at the other man for a few moments before dropping his gaze. "C'mon," he said softly. "Let's not talk about this anymore." He slowly looked back up at Billy's face. "We're supposed to be on vacation and enjoying ourselves."

Billy offered his lover a weak smile. "Yeah yeah, but every time I try to start enjoying it, you tell me you should have left me at home." He teased gently, letting one hand stray to poke gently at one of Edwin's ticklish spots.

"I have three weeks with a house on the beach;" the medic said, a faint smile on his lips as he tried to squirm away. "I don't plan on spending all of it inside."

"Who said anything about spending it inside?" Billy's tone was almost innocent as he tightened his hold on Edwin and poked him again.

Once again, Edwin tried to wriggle away though he didn't get far, still held in his lover's embrace. "And I'm not giving any free shows on the beach either, so don't even think about it."

"I'm allowed to think on it all I want," Billy protested, his weak smile warming a bit. "You're just not gonna let me _act_ on it."

"God, you're incorrigible sometimes."

While Edwin often teased Billy in regards to the intimate side of their relationship, the truth was that the two of them shared a rather enjoyable and fulfilling sex life, though it sometimes fell victim to their busy schedules, with the pair often relegated to just curling up together in bed before falling asleep.

"What, only sometimes?" Billy said, chuckling. The throbbing in his head was starting to fade some, and he was glad for it. He might still have to take something for it later, but he'd worry about it later. For the moment, he was enjoying the chance to banter playfully with Edwin, something they hadn't done much of, mostly due to Billy's unusually dark moods.

"I don't count when you're asleep." The medic shot back.

The remark caught Billy off-guard and he laughed, wincing a little as he did, though he didn't stop. "Touché," he said. Edwin leaned in and kissed the Marine's temple, his lips lightly brushing over Billy's tan skin.

Billy exhaled a quiet sound at that, and smiled. "Silly question to ask, I'm sure, but have we got something in the house for this headache? It's still too early to sleep, but spending the night with my head feeling like it wants to explode doesn't sound fun either."

The medic nodded his dark head. "I packed my mini field kit," he said as he started to pull away from Billy's embrace. "Let me get it . . ."

Letting Edwin go reluctantly, Billy nodded and smiled a bit. Normally he'd have protested, but there was always something about the medic fussing over him that made Billy feel spoiled, and he decided he could indulge that. "All right."

Lifeline rose from the bed and made his way over to the closet where he and Billy had stowed their suitcases after unpacking. After drawing out the case, he opened it and retrieved the small first aid kit that he carried with him when he traveled. Carrying it back over to the bed, he sat down and balanced the case on his lap while he opened it.

In the meantime, Billy had shifted until he was sitting cross-legged on the mattress, watching Edwin quietly.

"Do you just want something for the pain, or something to help you relax and sleep too?"

"Just something for the pain," Billy said. "I'll have you in the bed with me tonight, so relaxing and sleeping should come easily enough."

The medic couldn't help but smile a bit as he drew out a bottle, double checking the label before opening it and shaking a pair of tablets out into his palm before offering them to the Marine. "I'll get you some water," he said as he replaced the bottle. Setting the kit down on the bed next to him, he rose to his feet and softly padded out of the room.

Billy took the medication, not quite having a chance to get out a "thank you" before Edwin was off and moving again. Lifeline returned a few minutes later bearing a glass of water from the kitchen faucet which he held out to his lover.

"Thanks," Billy said, taking the glass from Edwin. He took the tablets he'd been given quickly, downing a decent swallow of the water and making a slight face before he set the glass on the nearby nightstand and stretched out on the bed. "Come lay down with me for a little while until these kick in?"

Closing the first aid kit, Edwin left it on the dresser and returned to the bed, sliding down on the mattress next to the Marine. Reaching out and looping an arm around the medic, Billy pulled Edwin close and nuzzled him affectionately. "We should try to catch at least one sunrise down on the beach while we're here," he murmured

"And a sunset," Lifeline added as he slid his arm around the other brunette, tucking Billy's head under his chin.

Billy purred at that and got settled. "Yes. Nightly, if I have my way . . ." He smiled. "I wanna make up for all the time I haven't gotten to spend with you..."

"It's okay, we're both just so busy."

"Yup. But now we've got three whole weeks to not be busy, and I plan on making the most of it, just getting to be with you."

Edwin smiled. "For a stubborn Jar Head, you sure know how to sweet talk."

"Everybody's gotta have a hobby."

The medic made an exasperated sound, though his smile still lingered. Billy chuckled softly in spite of the lingering pain in his head, bringing a hand up to rest over Edwin's heart. "Seriously, though," he said softly. "We haven't had much time for each other in almost a year. I wanna try to make up for some of that."

Lifeline closed his hand over the Marine's. "So do I." he agreed softly.

Relaxing and closing his eyes again, Billy smiled as he spoke. "So what did we wanna do with tomorrow?"

Edwin considered the question for a moment or two. "I don't know. I wanted to try and check out the aquarium in Monterey while we were here . . . Cannery Row . . ."

"Sounds good to me. I've never really spent leisure time in California, so this is all pretty new territory to me."

"Me too," the medic said. "I spent a little time in L.A. with Bree once . . ." He looked down at the other man. "But I've never been this far up the coast before."

"Hm . . . guess we'll go exploring tomorrow, then, maybe," Billy said with a grin. "Familiarize ourselves with our surroundings some?"

"Sounds like a plan, soldier boy."

"Cool."

Edwin smiled, his coffee colored eyes still on Billy as his hand slid away from the Marine's, the medic bringing it to the other man's chest, laying it lightly over Billy's heart. Billy opened his eyes, turning his own dark blue gaze up to the Edwin's and smiling. The medication was finally starting to kick in some, the throbbing in his head down to an easily ignored level.

"Feeling any better?" Lifeline inquired.

"Considerably," Billy replied with a small nod that didn't set his head to aching. "Thanks."

"Always happy to play doctor." The medic said, his tone light.

That brought a grin to the Marine's face. "You know you're welcome to play doctor anytime," he said, his own tone playful.

"I would have thought you'd be sick of doctors."

"Doctors, maybe, but like you always point out, you're a medic."

"True," Edwin agreed as he bent down closer to Billy. "So I guess that makes me okay, huh?"

"More than okay," Billy murmured back, leaning up just a little.

The two met halfway, their lips coming together for a warm kiss. Billy made a soft sound at that, bringing a hand up to catch Edwin's glasses and pull them gently from the medic's face, stretching until he could set them harmlessly aside on the nearby nightstand. Once he was free of the wire frames, Edwin softly pushed the Marine back down, the press of his lips becoming much more firm against his lover's.

Billy went down willingly, a surprised sound quickly melting into a soft moan. The medic held the slightly awkward position for a few moments, letting the kiss linger on before he pulled back a bit. The Marine grinned a little, his voice just a little breathless as he spoke. "What'll it take to make you do that again?"

"If you let me get a little more comfortable, I'll see what I can do."

Chuckling, Billy shook his head. "Should've said something if you were uncomfortable," he scolded softly, shifting so Edwin could get comfortable. The medic slid down on the bed next to his lover, his hand again sliding up Billy's chest as he leaned in to claim the Marine's lips once more.

Again, he was met halfway, Billy shivering at the touch. He tilted his head slightly as their lips met, letting his part slightly in invitation. With a soft sound, Lifeline slipped his tongue into Billy's welcoming mouth, his fingers bunching up the fabric of the blue-eyed man's shirt as it encountered its like.

Billy moaned at that, the kiss becoming more heated as he brought his hand up to cup the back of Edwin's head. The medic let out a moan of his own as their tongues continued to twine with one another, his heart beginning to beat faster in his chest.

Billy's hand slid from the back of Edwin's head to trail a feather-light touch along the back of his neck slowly, keeping the pressure only firm enough to keep the touch from tickling. A faint shiver went down Lifeline's spine, with only the need to breath making him break the kiss, the medic touching his forehead to the Marine's.

"Don't think I'm quite ready for sleep yet," Billy finally whispered breathlessly, tilting his head so he could breathe the words in Edwin's ear. "But I think I'm ready for bed, if you wanna join me."

The medic made no verbal response, only turned his head a bit and once again pressed his lips to his lover's as he covered the Marine's body with his, gently pushing him down into the mattress.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Edwin turned the Explorer into the drive that led up the beach bungalow, the SUVs tires crunching over the crushed clam shells that paved the otherwise earthen track as the vehicle coasted towards the weathered white house. He and Billy had spent the afternoon in Monterey, the pair getting a very late start to their day due to sleeping in. As a result, their trip to the aquarium was put off for another day, though they did hit the famous Cannery Row, wandering up and down Steinbeck's literary landmark for a couple of hours before finding an English-style pub where they indulged in a few games of pool; and in Billy's case, several pint glasses of beer which was why the medic was driving. After leaving the pub, they had found a nice seafood restaurant along Fisherman's Wharf to have dinner before deciding to head back to their rented home.

The medic parked the vehicle alongside the house, putting the white Explorer into park before turning off the ignition and unbuckling his seat belt. Billy was sitting in the passenger seat in a contented silence as they pulled up to the bungalow. In spite of his minor breakdown the day before, their mini-adventure into Monterey had seemed to restore his good spirits almost completely. The fresh air as they had wandered up and down Cannery Row had undone even the mildest unease at being in such a crush of people, and that kept him buoyed happily. On one rare occasion, he had found himself feeling the strangest sensation of being watched, but brushed it aside. It was just his paranoia acting up again, he figured. Getting a stare or two here and there wasn't surprising. When you were built like Billy was, and had as bold a tattoo as he did running up and down one arm, people tended to notice you.

Edwin glanced over at his lover. It wasn't often that Billy looked so relaxed, the image bringing a faint smile to the brown-eyed man's lips as he looked at the Marine. Billy noticed the attention, glancing over and grinning a little, although he said nothing.

"C'mon," Lifeline said as he reached over and tapped the side of Billy's thigh with his fingertips before he moved to open his door and slide out of the SUV. "Mmmkay," Billy replied, releasing his belt and sliding out of the vehicle. As he did, he let his eyes turn to the sky, and he smiled a little. ". . . Hey, Edwin?"

The medic was already making his way around the front of the vehicle. "Hm?"

"Wanna go catch that sunset?"

Edwin smiled and nodded his dark head. "Sounds good to me."

Grinning at that, Billy held his hand out to the other man. "C'mon."

The medic hesitated for a moment before he slowly reached to take his lover's offered hand. Billy laced their fingers together and gave Edwin's hand a little squeeze. "There's nobody for miles around to see us, love," he said softly. "Let me indulge. . ."

"Are you drunk?"

"Nope."

Lifeline looked at the other man silently for a few moments before returning the slight squeeze. Despite his gruff exterior, Billy could also be quite romantic and a bit clingy at times. Edwin couldn't really complain about either. The Marine had been on the run for a long time before the two of them had met, unable to form any kind of attachments, his personal life more than likely relegated to indifferent one-night stands.

His time on the run was something neither one had had ever really talked about, aside from the Umbrella factor. Billy never mentioned it and Edwin never asked. But even after nearly four years, it was never far from Billy's mind. It kept him humble, he figured, making sure he never lost sight of being grateful for his home, his family, and his relationship with Edwin. Although he rarely got a chance to indulge in the side of him that craved affection and close contact, he liked to indulge it when he could, with what he knew sometimes had to border on almost desperate need. _But what the hell, right?_ He thought to himself. _At least I know if I wake up dead tomorrow, Edwin won't have to wonder about how I feel..._

The pair made their way around the side of the house, then down towards the beach, a slight breeze ruffling both their dark heads. The fading sun was still warm, though not as warm as the day before, the sky just about cloudless and dotted here and there with seagulls. Billy seemed perfectly at ease, eventually releasing Edwin's hand in favor of sliding an arm around his lover's waist and drawing him close as they made it to the beach and found themselves walking along the stretch of sand. As it had been the day before, the beach was deserted, something that struck Edwin as slightly odd though he dismissed it when he recalled that it was a private beach, belonging to those that had homes along it. The pair walked quietly, the waves and the gulls providing all the sounds that they seemed to need as they made their way down the pale sandy beach. After a bit, the medic slid his arm around his lover's waist, hooking his finger in the back belt loop on Billy's jeans.

If there had been any residual tension in Billy, it melted away as Edwin's arm went around him. The sun was finally starting to set when Billy brought them to a halt down by the water's edge, keeping the other man close as the sky began to change color. Lifeline leaned against the Marine, his gaze on the glittering vista of water before them and the changing colors of the sky on the horizon. Billy, the shorter of the two, tilted his head to rest it on Edwin's shoulder, smiling to himself as he watched the sunset, just basking in the dying rays and his lover's proximity.

The myriad of colors against the ocean made the sunset spectacular before the sun finally sank below the horizon, leaving the sky a deep indigo sparked with twinkling stars. Without nearby city lights, the stars seemed bright, and Billy raised his head to let his eyes take them in. He had never lived in a place, he was pleased to say, where he had not been able to see the stars. But the only other place he had seen a sky this spectacular was at his home in Arizona, and on the Joe base on a clear summer night. Unlike both Arizona and the Utah desert, however, the night was liable to stay warm for a little while, giving him a chance to enjoy the view a bit.

"This would almost be worth being declared AWOL for." Edwin said.

"Gotta agree," Billy murmured back, smiling a little. "You couldn't have found us a better spot, I don't think."

"This from Mister You-Rented-A-Beach House-Over-The-Internet-Skeptic."

Billy chuckled. "So I admit it, I was wrong. You did good, lover."

"I wanted something nice . . . something special." The medic said. "I figured we deserved it."

Billy nodded a little at that, then tilted his head again so he could look at the medic. Feeling his lover's gaze, Lifeline looked down at the other man. "Hm?"

The Marine smiled, although he maintained his silence before he leaned up a little and pressed a brief, warm kiss to Edwin's lips. "Just that," he said softly when he pulled away again. "And to ask you to do me a favor."

The medic smiled faintly at the kiss. "You always want a favor." He said, teasing the Marine a little.

"Not always," Billy said, grinning. "Sometimes I want attention."

Edwin chuckled softly. "So what's this favor you want, soldier boy?"

"Just remind me to call Robby tomorrow?"

Lifeline chuckled a bit more. "Getting a little forgetful in your old age?"

Billy gave Edwin a small bump with his hip. "I'm not that damn old," He replied with mock indignation.

"Like I have room to talk." The medic let go of Billy's belt loop and slid his hand into the back pocket of his lover's jeans. "I am older than you." He continued. "Although _not_ by very much."

"So if you're older, then why am I the one going senile?"

Unable to come up with a snappy retort, Edwin settled for shrugging his shoulders.

Billy chuckled. "Must be karma for all the hell I raised as a kid."

"Might be," the brown-eyed man agreed. "In which case, I definitely_ won't _be going senile."

That made the Marine laugh. "Not for awhile, anyway."

"A_ long_ while."

"You sound pretty sure."

"Trust me," Lifeline said. "I didn't even raise my voice, let alone any hell."

"I can believe it," Billy said, nodding. "You still don't raise your voice much now."

"Habit, I guess." The medic said softly. "My father didn't . . . he didn't like a lot of noise in the house." Like Billy's time on the run, Edwin's relationship with his family, his father in particular, was another one of those topics that the two didn't speak of very much.

"Won't hear me bitch about it," Billy said softly, letting his arm around Edwin tighten at the catch in his lover's voice as he spoke and decided to try and ease the unintentional foray into uncomfortable territory. "Makes you soothing to be around."

"Soothing?" Well that's something I haven't been called before."

"You are, though," Billy said, laying his head on Edwin's shoulder again.

Lifeline looked down at the other man. "I think you _are_ drunk."

"Why, just because I gave you a compliment?"

Edwin turned his head and kissed his lover's hair. "Never mind," he said softly before resting his cheek against the soft dark tresses.

A little confused, Billy wondered briefly if he should feel hurt, but brushed it aside and relaxed against his lover again. "Okay."

"So," the medic said after a few silent moments. "Are we going to stand out here all night?"

"Not if you're ready to go back inside."

"I am if you are."

"Let's go in, then."

The couple turned and headed back down the beach, their arms still around each other. It didn't take them long to make their way back to their bungalow, only releasing one another as they reached the front door, Edwin pulling the keys from his pocket and opening the door.

"You go ahead and go in," Billy said as the door swung open. "I'm gonna have a quick smoke."

The medic looked at the blue-eyed man for moment. "Okay," he said softly with a slight nod of his head. Turning, Edwin headed into the house, closing the door behind himself.

* * *

It was only by chance that Albert Wesker saw his quarry and Edwin Steen walking on the private beach near the row of bungalows. He had happened to wander by the window while on the phone with Tomax and Xamot, involved in a brief conference call, since it seemed one twin never took action without the other. Wesker didn't mind. As long as they paid him, they could take his calls however they liked. The blond gave them a brief update, informing them that he had managed to secure a house near the one Coen was renting, and he would proceed as soon as it was safe for him to do so. The twins seemed to accept his report with no displeasure, and as he had hung up the phone, he had stepped silently out onto the deck of his own rented home, and watched Coen and Steen.

They passed by his bungalow, walking very close to one another. The shifting sunlight made it hard to see clearly, even with his dark glasses. Once they had passed his cottage, he stepped quietly off the deck and onto the soft sand. As he followed them, he immediately noticed things that interested him.

The first was that Coen appeared to be intoxicated. Now, that was interesting. From what Wesker had come to know about the Trojan Horse parasite the Marine carried within him, Coen should have been able to drink a barrel of beer by himself and not even show the least signs of a buzz.

The second, decidedly more interesting thing, was that his relationship with Edwin Steen seemed to be a bit more than either man had let on up to that point. It stood to reason, of course; Coen was a military man, and the military had fairly stringent guidelines when it came to that kind of thing. He was apparently also good at being extremely discreet, to the point that even the twins' Intel operatives had not known.

It was unexpected, Wesker thought as he watched the two men as they gazed at the sunset. He wanted to be certain of his observations, and it didn't take him long to confirm it. The body language was easy to read. This wasn't Steen helping Coen walk because of intoxication. The two were either lovers, or damn close to it.

He stood there, watching the two until the sun sank completely. They shared words, then began to head back for their rented bungalow. Again, Wesker followed them, remaining out of sight until they approached the steps that led up to their house. It would have been so easy, he thought, to kill Steen then, and apprehend Coen. In darkness like this, on a private beach that was nearly empty so early in the week, no one would have noticed until it was far too late. But Wesker shoved that thought aside as a new, more entertaining option made itself known. _Of course, _he thought, _Now why didn't I think of that before..._

Maybe it was time to get to know his new neighbors, and find out a little more about Coen's male lover.

Still smiling to himself, the look of a cat that had just finished a dish of cream with a canary on the side, Wesker turned from his shadowing of the two men and headed back to his cottage. Although his endurance was good, and he didn't require as much sleep as he once had, it was still a luxury he liked to indulge in when he could, and if he was going to make his quickly forming plan work, he was going to have to be up early.

* * *

Once Edwin was gone, Billy lit up the cigarette and stepped off the front porch. He had not said anything to Edwin while they were walking, not wanting to alarm his lover or worse, annoy him with paranoia. However, the Marine still had the distinct impression he was being watched, and decided to make a quick circuit of their surrounding area and see what he could find. The cigarette just gave him a feasible excuse to suddenly decide to stay outside.

Lifeline maneuvered his way into the living room of the dark house, managing to only bump his knee once as he moved to turn on the table lamp before heading towards the bedroom. Billy's short check of the immediate premises turned up nothing, and the Marine chalked it up to paranoia, finishing his cigarette and putting out the remains on his way inside. "Did you want me to leave this lamp in here on?" He called out to Edwin.

"Not unless you're going to stay out in the living room for a while." The other man replied from the other room. "Nope," Billy responded, clicking the light off and heading toward the bedroom.

Edwin was in the process of undressing, the medic down to his briefs and the polo shirt he had been wearing when Billy entered, his glasses off and on the nightstand next to the bed. Billy slid up behind Edwin, wrapping his arms around the man and nuzzling him. The medic covered his lover's arms with his, as he leaned back against the Marine, smiling a bit.

"It was a good day out," Billy murmured

Lifeline softly agreed. "Yeah, it was."

"Looking forward to the aquarium tomorrow?"

Edwin nodded. "I'm such a dork," he said with a slight chuckle.

Billy chuckled. "Not really. I'm looking forward to it, too."

"I bet Robby would probably like it." t\The medic mused.

"You're probably right," Billy said with a nod, and chuckled. "It's funny. . . he's my blood, but you two have more in common than me and him do."

"I'm sure the two of you have plenty of common interests."

"We've got enough to give us things to do and stuff to talk about," Billy agreed with another nod. "Still, he's an academic, and I'm definitely not."

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Billy." Edwin said softly.

"How do you figure?"

"Like I said before," Lifeline replied. "You're smart in a lot ways – things that you can't learn out of a book or in school."

Billy smiled some. "I can't really argue that, love. Just the boy and I . . . we look at things a lot differently. Both with smarts, but two different kinds. You speak his language a little better than I do. That's all I'm saying."

Edwin slid his arms from his lover's and turned in the Marine's embrace so that he could look at the blue-eyed man. "You and I don't seem to have any trouble communicating." He said softly.

"Not most of the time," Billy replied just as softly. "But you've got a lot of street smarts, too, being in the service as long as you have been. . . "

"Sometimes it feels like a lifetime."

"I know what you mean."

Edwin looked at Billy quietly for a few moments. "What do you think of maybe having Robby come and stay ? Maybe those last few days before we leave here?"

Billy blinked and looked up at Edwin. "You . . . sure?"

The medic nodded his dark head. "I know you want to see him, and I'm sure he wants to see you." He said as he leaned in closer, touching his forehead to the Marine's. "I feel kind of guilty keeping you all to myself."

"Why would you feel guilty about that?" Billy asked quietly, smiling a little.

"I just do." Lifeline replied softly. "Sometimes I forget that you have someone other me."

"Don't feel guilty," Billy murmured quietly. "And if you don't mind, I'd love to have him come stay with us for a couple days." The Marine grinned.

Edwin lifted his head a bit and brushed his lips over the other man's forehead. "I'll move into the other bedroom and you two can share this one. Maybe we can see about going out on a fishing charter for a day. I remember you said he liked fishing too."

"Sounds good to me, but why not give him the other room?" Billy asked, raising an eyebrow.

The medic pulled back and looked at the Marine, _why do you think?_ clearly written in his expression.

Billy just looked calmly back at Edwin.

"Just humor me, okay?" Lifeline asked.

"Alright, alright," Billy said nodding, holding up a placating hand. "Peace."

"C'mon Devil Dog;" Edwin said, giving the other man a pat on the back before releasing him. "I think this old soldier is ready for bed."

"Sounds good to me."

Turning away from his lover slightly, the medic finished undressing.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Edwin Steen finished the last of his warm up stretches, his dark hair ruffling in the slight breeze, as he took a deep breath of the cool early morning ocean air. Even though he was on vacation, the medic knew he couldn't slack off on exercising, the habit too long ingrained to be ignored. That being the case, an early morning jog along the beach seemed to be just what the medic ordered.

The brown-eyed man had risen with the dawn, taking care not to rouse his sleeping lover as he slipped out of bed and pulled on a pair of loose fitting jogging shorts and a t-shirt, the white cotton garment emblazoned with the U.S. Army crest. Taking his running shoes and a pair of socks, he headed out onto the deck. After donning the footwear, he took the wooden steps down to the beach and went through his warm up routine.

Taking in another deep lungful of fresh salt-tinged air, Edwin started down the beach, keeping his pace slow and steady at first, his shoes leaving imprints in the wet sand behind him.

* * *

He wasn't the only one jogging that morning either. In the hopes of catching sight of either Steen or Coen, Wesker had risen a little before dawn, dressing in a pair of black running shorts and a tight-fitting black tank top. He had donned dark shoes and socks and his sunglasses, and was in the middle of his own stretches when he caught sight of Edwin in his peripheral vision, coming down along the beach. _Excellent._

The medic's attention however was on the beach in front of him, Lifeline not wanting to inadvertently trip over a piece of driftwood or other debris that might have washed up on the shoreline. He could feel the sun on his back, its rays starting to warm the cool early morning air, promising another beautiful day weather-wise. Other than the waves sloshing against the shore and the occasional call of a seagull, the beach was still and quiet.

As he passed, Wesker stepped off the porch and set off at a brisk jog to try and catch up with Edwin without it appearing too much like he was trying to.

It took a few moments for the sound footfalls on the wet sand behind him to permeate Lifeline's consciousness, a faint smile curling his lips as he turned his head a bit, wondering if Billy had awakened and decided to join him.

The man behind him was most definitely not his lover. Tall, fair-haired, and dressed in black, he was not someone that Edwin could recall seeing in the past two days since he and Billy had arrived. That in itself wasn't very surprising as the two had not really seen anyone on the beach since their arrival at the bungalow.

When Wesker saw Edwin turn his head slightly, he raised a hand slightly in greeting. The medic gave the man a slight nod of his head in acknowledgment as he slowed his pace a bit. Lifeline didn't share his lover's sense of paranoia, but then again he had not been through what Billy had, hunted for years by not only the U.S. military, but Umbrella Corporation as well.

When Wesker caught up with Edwin, he gave the man a faint smile. "Do you mind terribly if I join you?"

Lifeline shook his head slightly. "No, you're more than welcome."

"Thank you."

The medic nodded, his attention going back to the sand-covered landscape in front of him. Having a stranger join him during a jog wasn't anything new. Back in Cedar City, he occasionally found himself running alongside people he didn't really know, kind of like a universal acknowledgment that runners were welcomed by other runners whether they knew them or not.

His unexpected company fell into step with him easily, matching his pace as they skirted the edge of the waterline, detouring occasionally to avoid a rock or a piece of drift wood. Wesker studied Edwin from the corner of his eye as they ran, taking in the man's features, his build. He was most likely military, he decided. If not military, than he was an emergency worker of some kind. Potential threat, but not a serious one to someone like him.

The medic was oblivious to the subtle scrutiny, his attention divided between the run and thoughts of Billy's son joining the two of them at the tail-end of their vacation. Edwin had been sincere in wanting the boy to come, knowing that he and Billy rarely got much of a chance to see one another, the two of them relegated to weekly telephone calls for the most part. The Marine had missed a large part of his son's life while he had been a fugitive, the blue-eyed man still a bit overwhelmed by how much Robby had grown during that time.

Edwin had never met Robby, only talked to him a few times on the phone, and he couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive at the prospect. The medic didn't know how much Billy had told his son about their relationship. As far as Lifeline knew, the boy was under the impression that the two of them were merely good friends and roommates; although Billy's comment the night before about not switching bedrooms led him to believe that maybe his lover had told the young man more than he had thought. The more Edwin thought it over, the more he began to think that maybe he should leave a few days earlier than Billy, giving the blue-eyed man and his son some time alone together.

"You seem troubled," Wesker said, his voice low as he spoke, sounding as if he were a bit hesitant to break into Edwin's thoughts.

"Huh?" Lifeline glanced at the blond man. "Oh . . . no . . . just, you know . . . your mind kind of wanders when you run." The two of them were approaching a jetty, the rocky outcropping dividing the beach and marking the end of their sandy track meaning that they would have to turn around and head back in the direction they had started from.

"Of course," Wesker said, nodding and offering another smile. "Forgive me if it seems I was trying to pry. So early in the morning just isn't a suitable time for heavy thoughts."

"It's okay." The medic shrugged. As they drew nearer to the jetty the sand became dotted with rocks and driftwood.

"Have you been here for very long?" The blond went on, his steps more careful now that there were more trip hazards in the sand. "I don't believe I've seen you here before."

Edwin shook his head. "Only a couple of days." He replied. "First time out here."

"And what do you think so far?"

"I think I could go AWOL," the medic answered with a chuckle. "The rocks are getting bad," he added, sidestepping around one. "We might want to turn around."

With an obliging nod, the blond slowed himself down enough to turn. "AWOL, hm? So you're military, then?"

"Army." Lifeline made a U-turn, just barely missing a large stone jutting up from the sand.

Wesker said nothing for a moment, keeping his own attention on the ground before him as he turned. Once they were moving away from the rocks again, he spoke. "I suppose I should have guessed that from the shirt, really." He chuckled softly. "Is your companion Army as well?"

Edwin stumbled slightly, managing to catch himself. "C-Companion?"

"Yes, the...gentleman you were walking with last night?" Wesker turned slightly toward Edwin, clearly intending to help the other man if he should lose his balance, but backed off a little when the medic caught himself.

Lifeline's tinted lenses flashed in the sunlight as he whipped his head over to look at the blond man next to him, a bit of panic starting to trickle into his stomach.

It must have shown on his face, because the smile that came to Wesker's lips next was sympathetic. "I suppose I wasn't supposed to see it, but I happened to catch you walking by, and it was too perfect a scene not to take a second look at," he said, his tone almost wistful as he spoke.

Despite the wariness that he was feeling, an unbidden blush faintly colored Edwin's cheeks. The blush confirmed Wesker's suspicions, and that made it easy to give Edwin a genuine smile. "Now, I've traumatized and embarrassed you, and you don't even know my name. Where are my manners?" He shook his head. "My name is Foxwell, Charles Foxwell."

Lifeline slowed his pace a bit and held out his hand to the other man. "Edwin Steen." Wesker took the hand and shook it firmly. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Same here." The medic pulled his hand away, picking up his pace once again. _Calm down,_ he told himself. _ It's not like anyone around here knows you._ _ And the way he said it . . . _

His companion likewise quickened his steps until he was running alongside Edwin again. "I'm sorry if I startled you with my observations. Given your particular job, I'm sure it's something you're not accustomed to people seeing or knowing about."

Edwin pulled up, coming to a stop. "I – I'm sorry," he started. "But I . . . I don't see where this is any of your business. I'm not – I'm not trying to be rude but . . ."

The blond came to a stop as well. "I suppose it isn't, I just..." He shook his head. "Forgive me, please. I tend to run far too long at the mouth when I'm allowed. It truly isn't any of my business, I just wanted to say that I think you're very lucky..."

Lifeline looked at the other man for a few moments, trying to read Foxwell's face, though he could see nothing of the man's eyes behind the dark smoky lenses of the sunglasses that he was wearing. "I'm sorry," he said. "I just . . . It's just rather personal. I'm sure you understand."

"More than you can imagine," came the soft reply, accompanied by a nod.

Edwin regarded the other man once again, his dark head tilting to the side a bit at the tone in Charles Foxwell's voice.

Foxwell smiled faintly and looked over at Edwin. "I had a lover of my own once. Circumstances dictated we be very, very discreet. He was a married man, but we loved one another, and I didn't wish to cause him undue trouble."

"I'm sorry, I . . . " The medic found himself a bit flustered.

Foxwell looked over at Edwin and smiled a bit. "It's alright, really."

Another faint flushed warmed the medic's face. "I . . . I guess you really do understand."

With a nod, the blond reached up and adjusted his glasses slightly. "Yes. And I really didn't mean to be spying on you last night . . . I was just a bit jealous, I suppose, and wanted to live vicariously through another for a bit."

"We were out where anyone could have seen us, so it really wasn't spying."

"Even so, it was rude, in retrospect, and I do apologize."

The medic nodded. "If you hadn't of said anything, I would have never known. It's okay, really."

Foxwell gave Edwin a warmer smile. "You're very gracious, Mr. Steen." Lifeline smiled faintly, still feeling a little awkward.

"I believe I've embarrassed the both of us," the blond observed after a long silence. "Can I offer you a cup of coffee for your trouble, at least? I set a pot to brew before I headed out."

"Uh . . . " Edwin hesitated for a moment before he slowly nodded his dark head in agreement. "Yes, thank you."

Foxwell looked pleased with this as he started walking again. They had stopped their run long enough that it seemed silly to quicken the pace again, and the morning was pleasant. It wasn't too hot, or too cold, and the sky was still clear, without a trace of cloud.

The medic fell into step with the blond man, the two of them retracing their path up the beach. He was still a little unsure about accepting Charles Foxwell's invitation, but the man had seemed sincere in wanting to apologize for making Edwin feel uncomfortable. Plus, it was still relatively early which meant that Billy was more than likely still asleep and wouldn't miss him.

The bungalow Foxwell led Edwin to was almost a carbon copy of the one Billy and Edwin were renting. As they stepped up on the porch, Foxwell glanced over his shoulder. "Please forgive the mess inside," He said with a sheepish smile. "I'm afraid I wasn't expecting company."

Lifeline smiled a bit at the other man. "Um . . . why don't I just uh wait out here." He offered. "It's so nice out . . . I'll just sit out here on the deck."

"I won't be but a moment," Foxwell promised, and stepped into the bungalow.

Edwin slid into one of the pair of redwood chairs that had been set out on the deck, the medic taking a few moments to remove his glasses and clean the lenses on his t-shirt while he waited for Charles.

Inside the house, Wesker permitted himself a true smile. So far, so good. Steen seemed trusting enough, and as long as he was careful to cultivate that trust before Coen entered the equation, he would be fine. As always, the feeling of a hunt gone well was almost euphoric, and it made it easier for Wesker to wear a sincere, warm smile when he stepped back out of the house, two cups of coffee in hand.

The medic looked up at the blond's reappearance, Foxwell a blurry black and flesh-colored silhouette without the aid of his glasses.

"Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long," he said, sitting down in the other redwood chair and offering one of the mugs to Edwin.

"No, not at all." Lifeline said as he replaced his glasses, settling the wire frames on his face before taking the offered mug. "Thanks."

"You're quite welcome."

The dark-haired man took an appreciative sniff of the brew before putting it to his lips and taking a careful tentative sip.

"I wasn't sure if you doctored yours at all," Foxwell said, leaning back in his chair and taking a sip from his own mug.

"Black is just perfect." Edwin replied, the medic unconsciously relaxing a bit as he took another sip.

"So are you just here for a little beach getaway? Or sight-seeing elsewhere?"

"A little bit of both." The medic answered. "This is the first real vacation I've . . . we've had in, well in real long time."

Foxwell nodded sympathetically. "It must be hard to find the time, when serving our country."

Lifeline nodded. "And to be able to take time off together without it looking too suspicious."

"Of course." Foxwell got a wistful little smile, as he took another sip of his coffee. "For William and I, it was a bit easier than that, thankfully. But even so, we had to be so very cautious..."

"Have you been here before?"

The blond nodded. "Many, many times. He loved Monterey, especially the aquarium. I suppose it appealed to the scientist side of him." Foxwell chuckled softly. "We often rented a bungalow here. Close to his favorite place, but still secluded when the sun set and it was just us..."

Edwin quietly looked down at the mug in his hand for a few moments. "Can I," he started. "Do you mind . . . do you mind if I ask what happened between you?" A hint of a blush colored his cheeks.

"He died, several years ago," Foxwell's voice dropped, his tone low. "One of the Raccoon City victims. A virologist who wanted to study the cannibal disease that had cropped up there. He wanted to see if he could find a cure."

The medic's brown eyes snapped up at the mention of the ill-fated city. "I – I'm sorry," he murmured. "It was a horrible tragedy."

Foxwell gave a tiny nod. "It was. I was away from the city when that whole incident occurred, and didn't know about it until I saw it on the news. I just...I can't even begin to describe how I felt."

Edwin nodded his head slightly. Though the Joes had not been involved in the destruction of Raccoon City, nor had the medic known anyone living there, he could still vividly recall how his stomach had roiled as the first news reports on the apocalypse had trickled in, the medic eventually making a hasty beeline for the men's room to throw up.

Foxwell was quiet then, as if gathering his thoughts. "For a time, I let myself believe he was still alive...that he had escaped somehow. But I knew better...Even now, it's still hard to let myself believe he's gone."

"I – I'm sorry," Lifeline said quietly. "I – I didn't mean to pry . . ."

"No no, it's all right, really," Foxwell said, snapping out of his slight daze. "You've been sporting about all my prying."

The medic gave the blond man a faint wan smile before he put the coffee mug to his lips and took a drink. "You still come back here?" He asked quietly.

"Whenever I can," Foxwell said with a faint smile and a nod.

_ Yet another innocent life that Umbrella ruined,_ Lifeline thought to himself as he took another sip of coffee, his hand unconsciously tightening on the ceramic mug.

Foxwell fell silent again, taking a sip of his coffee and watching Edwin quietly from the edge of his vision, trying to guage the man's reaction to his story.

"This is a beautiful place," the medic said after several long moments.

"It really is," came the reply, accompanied by a nod. "The weather's been unusually temperate just lately. I'm rather hoping it stays that way, at least until I can get a visit in to the aquarium. There's a large outer courtyard area there that has quite a spectacular view, when the weather's good."

"Really?" I'll have to check it out." Edwin said. "Billy and I were planning to go there today."

"Today would be an ideal day for it," Foxwell said with a nod and a smile.

"I'm sure he's just humoring the dork in me." Lifeline smiled. "He'd probably rather be fishing."

"More of a sportsman than an academic, then? I think you'll find he enjoys the trip as much as you do."

The dark-haired man chuckled a bit. "I'm sure he will," he agreed with a slight nod. "I just wanted for him to be able to relax and enjoy himself. He's had a hectic year . . . I guess we both kind of have."

"World crisis or personal one?"

Edwin thought for a moment. "Personal," he responded softly.

"Say no more," Foxwell said, nodding and sitting up a bit, smiling. "I think I understand."

"We promised each other that once everything settled down and was back to the way it should be that we'd find a way to take some time off together. Just forget about everything for a little while."

"And coming here was the result of keeping that promise, yes?"

Lifeline nodded. "It took a little arm twisting, but . . ."

"Arm twisting?"

Edwin smiled a bit. "Of the verbal kind," he replied with a slight chuckle. "Billy has to be the poster boy for stubborn Marines the world over."

The blond chuckled at that. "So he's a Marine? That explains why he's built like a brick wall." He glanced at Edwin very briefly over the top of his sunglasses. "Not that you're not a fine specimen of masculine beauty, but still."

The medic colored, a blush heating up his face as he looked down at his lap, finding himself feeling a bit flustered. Chuckling, Foxwell shook his head. "And shy to boot." Edwin's flush deepened a bit as he nervously put the coffee mug to his lips, draining the last of the now cool liquid.

The two men sat in silence for a moment before Foxwell spoke again. "Forgive me. That was a bit too forward, perhaps?"

"Maybe just a bit." Lifeline replied, giving the blond man a quick nervous smile.

"Please forgive me," Foxwell repeated, giving a sheepish smile of his own. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"It's okay." Edwin said. "Really."

"So, ah, what time does said Marine usually wake up?" Foxwell smiled a bit. "I wouldn't want him to worry if you were gone for too long."

The medic glanced down at his watch. "I probably should be going," he said as he looked up at Charles, setting his mug down on the arm of his chair. "I didn't realize what time it was." The brown-eyed man started to rise to his feet.

"Of course." Foxwell rose to his feet and smiled, offering Edwin his hand. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Steen. Perhaps we'll see one another again before you leave?"

Edwin nodded as he reached to take the blond man's hand, giving it a firm shake. "I hope so."

Returning the shake just as firmly, the other man stepped back as they released each others hand. "Take care." He said, before disappearing into the bungalow again. Lifeline bounded down the stairs and back out onto the beach and towards his own temporary seaside home.

* * *

When he reached the bungalow, Edwin found Billy stretched out comfortably in one of their own chairs, and the Marine grinned as he approached. "Go running all the way to Monterey and back and didn't bring us breakfast?" He quipped.

"Last time I checked, there was food in the fridge; and I believe the stove works too." Edwin shot back as he looked at his lover.

Billy laughed. "Yeah, right, and we both know my culinary skills end with one of those right there," He replied, pointing to the grill.

"I'm sure a highly trained Marine like you could figure out a toaster."

That drew a chuckle from Billy and he rose to his feet. "So seriously, what kept you?"

"I met one of our neighbors," the medic replied. "We ended up talking for a little bit."

"Anything interesting?"

The brown-eyed man shrugged. "He seemed okay. A little sad though."

"How so?"

Edwin slipped his arm around Billy's waist. "Kind of a tragic story." He replied.

"Mmm . . . then let it wait," Billy said, wrapping his arms around Edwin and leaning up to nuzzle him.

The medic smiled a bit, his other hand coming up to cup the side of his lover's face, Charles Foxwell's tragic story making him all the more grateful to have the Marine by his side.

Billy tilted his head into the touch a bit, pressing a soft kiss to Edwin's throat. "So what time did you wanna head for the aquarium?" He asked

Edwin's eyes slid closed at the gentle touch. "I wanted to get an early start before it gets too crowded."

"Mmkay," Billy replied, pulling back just a little. "I should let you go shower, then."

"I'll make some breakfast first."

"Okay."

The medic slipped his hand into the back pocket of Billy's jeans. "C'mon soldier boy," he said as he started them towards the bungalow. "Let's see if you can tackle that toaster . . ."

* * *

The aquarium was busy, although not overly crowded, and Billy fought aside a stab of anxiety, and took a deep breath, only to have it stolen away again as they passed by the ticket booths and into the aquarium itself. He had seen a few pictures online when Edwin had mentioned wanting to go, but it was nothing compared to the reality of the place. Comfortably lit, there were a million and one things to catch the eye, with hallways and stairs leading off in all directions, and he realized it wouldn't be hard at all to kill a full day in the place.

The pair had passed the aquarium the day before while they had been exploring Cannery Row, their late start that morning leaving the trip until today when they would be able to devote the majority of their day to the renowned facility. After obtaining a visitor's map, the two men took a few minutes to look it over before entering into the aquarium proper.

"So, where to first?" Billy asked, feeling more than a little out of his depth.

Edwin thought for a moment, glancing down at the map once again. "Hmm . . . we can just follow the map and make a loop and then head upstairs." He suggested. "Or did you want to see something in particular first?"

Billy shook his head. "You lead, I'll follow."

"That'll be a switch," the medic said with a slight chuckle as he refolded the map. "Let's go this way then," he indicated the left corridor with a wave of his hand.

The two men headed off down the corridor, checking out the different small exhibits as they went. Of all of them, Billy found the Kelp Forest particularly soothing, the motion of the kelp in the water slow and almost hypnotic when paired with soft music being piped in through subtly hidden speakers. From the Kelp Forest, it was onto the Touch Pools, which had a huge array of hands-on exhibits, including several large live bat rays.

Edwin of course had to make sure that he read all the posted information that accompanied the various exhibits, occasionally adding his own comments to Billy about something he had read or seen or musing aloud about something he was curious about. He also took pictures when he could, finally trying out the palm-sized digital camera that he had bought several months earlier. The medic made sure to get a few shots of Billy at the Touch Pools. The brown-eyed man couldn't resist the urge to act like a kid as he too took advantage of the hands-on exhibits, his face lighting up at the velvety sleek feel of the rays as they brushed along his fingertips.

Billy had been similarly entranced, smiling faintly to himself as the rays whisked by. He didn't even seem to mind Edwin stopping to read all the information at the various exhibits, asking a few questions of his own, and generally seeming to enjoy himself.

As Edwin looked at his lover, he couldn't help but smile at the expression on the blue-eyed man's face, and think that if their vacation came to an abrupt end tomorrow, it would have been worth it just to see the Marine look like he did at that moment.

They completed their circuit with only one other big distraction, and that was the octopus tanks. Billy couldn't help but stop and watch the multi-legged sea dwellers quietly. As they stood side-by-side, Edwin again glanced at Billy, the slightly awed look on his lover's face once again bringing a smile to his lips. "Bet you didn't ever see anything like that out in Arizona, huh?" He asked with a chuckle.

Billy looked over and grinned. "Not outside of a book, no."

"Wait until you see some of the other exhibits."

"I can't wait."

"You sound like a little kid." The medic said with a slight chuckle as he took a picture of the Marine, several of the larger octopi behind him in the tank.

Billy shook his head. "You're just as bad with that camera," he teased good-naturedly. Although not naturally a photogenic person, Edwin seemed to be able to side-step that part of him, and the Marine had had several pictures taken by or with the medic over the time they had known one another.

The two stayed at the octopus tanks for a bit longer before moving on, once again crossing the main corridor and towards the other side of the aquarium. As the two passed down the corridor, Billy found his eyes drawn to the glass-column style tank that was the sea otter exhibit. There was a large crowd of very young children crowding around, all of them jockeying for a good position to watch the animals being fed. At the edge of the crowd, and decidedly taller than most of the young mob, Charles Foxwell was watching the handlers as they gave their speech on otter care, and fed the playful creatures.

Edwin was surprised to see Foxwell, his footsteps pausing for a moment as he caught sight of the other man. It seemed to take a few moments before the blond saw them. As before, he was dressed all in black, a pair of jeans and a tight t-shirt. His sunglasses glinted in the low light as he turned his head slightly and caught sight of Edwin. With a faint smile, he raised a hand in greeting. The medic returned the gesture, giving Charles a quick faint smile as he did so.

Billy just raised an eyebrow. "Somebody you know, all the way out here?"

"The neighbor that I told you about this morning." The medic replied as he glanced at the blue-eyed man.

"Ahh," the Marine said with a small nod, studying the man quietly. Well built, blond crew cut, taller than he was easily, although not as tall as Edwin, if he was judging properly. There was something about him, though . . .

Billy shook it off and smiled. "Should we go say hello, then?"

Edwin looked hesitant, unsure as to whether they should disturb Foxwell but not wanting to seem rude by not at least saying hello.

Foxwell ultimately took care of the decision for them, and stepped away from his place near the tank to walk over to the two men. The closer he got, the stronger that uneasiness in the back of Billy's mind grew, although he couldn't place why. Something in the way the man moved, perhaps . . .

_ Or just your god damned paranoia_, he chided himself.

"Mister Foxwell." Lifeline greeted the blond man when he reached them.

"Mister Steen," Foxwell said, smiling a bit more, and then turning his attention to Billy. "And this must be your Marine companion?" He extended a hand to Billy. "Charles Foxwell," he said.

"Billy Coen," came the reply, as Billy took Foxwell's hand and shook it. The grip was very firm, the skin cool but not cold to the touch. Billy could read nothing through the dark lenses of the man's glasses, and he finally decided that's what was bothering him.

"This is a surprise, seeing you here." Edwin said as he looked at Foxwell.

Foxwell smiled a bit as he released Billy's hand. "Decided to take a bit of my own advice, and come see the bay while the weather was still clear enough to do so. I got distracted watching the otters, however."

The medic smiled. "They're the main attraction here, or so I've heard."

With a smile, the blond nodded. "They are. Have you been here long today?" He asked. "I don't believe I saw you come in."

"I don't know," Edwin replied. "Maybe an hour and a half or so." He glanced over at Billy as if asking for confirmation. "We started out in the other wing."

Billy nodded. "Something like that," he agreed.

Foxwell nodded again. "I should have guessed you'd end up browsing the hands-on exhibits first."

"We just figured we'd make a loop," the medic said as he gestured with his hand.

"Would you mind terribly if I joined you for a bit?" Foxwell asked. "I know the aquarium relatively well."

Billy was non-committal, shrugging with a little smile as he looked at Edwin. While he wasn't thrilled with the idea of giving up his time with the medic, there wasn't any good reason he could see to say no if his lover didn't mind.

"No, not at all." Edwin answered since the Marine apparently didn't seem to mind one way or the other.

"Much appreciated," Foxwell said. "So, shall I show you outside, let you get a little fresh air?"

The medic glanced at his companion, his eyebrow raised in question. Billy nodded with a faint smile. "Sounds good. Lead on."

Foxwell led them through the double doors near the otter tank, and out to the Ocean's Edge wing, where a large open area looked out on the bay. Not many people had wandered outside yet, and the sky was still clear and blue, the sound of the ocean a soft, steady rush that swelled and ebbed in the ear. The tide pool there had been set up with auditorium type seating, where classes could be held. A small food stand nearby added a faint wisp of cooked seafood scent to the air.

Edwin immediately made his way over to take in the view, wasting no time in taking a few pictures of the tide pool. Billy found his way to the waist high concrete wall that protected onlookers from falling, and cast his eyes out on the bay. He smiled to himself when he saw seals on a few of the outcropping rocks, and the weather was nice enough that a few ships dotted the water here and there, too.

The medic joined him several minutes later, leaning over the barrier a bit to take a few pictures of the seals, the sea creatures apparently oblivious as they sunned themselves. "I don't know which one is better," he said softly to the Marine. "The view here or the one from our beach house."

"It's a pretty tight competition, I have to admit," Billy replied, just as quietly. A glance over his shoulder showed him that Foxwell seemed to have gotten distracted again by some kind of lecture on the kinds of sea life that could be found in a tide pool. "Although I kinda like the one there better . . ."

Edwin followed his lover's gaze, his brown eyes settling on the blond man for a moment before turning his attention back to Billy, giving the Marine a warm smile as he looked at him. Billy felt his lover's eyes on him, and returned the smile equally, his eyes softening as he met Edwin's gaze.

"I should have made you do this a long time ago." Lifeline said, his smile widening a bit.

"Why's that?" The Marine asked.

"Because I like the expression on your face," the medic responded softly.

"Look less like a flesh eating barbarian?" Billy asked, winking.

"I was thinking knuckle-dragging Neanderthal."

Billy laughed at that. "Well, it's not as bad as greasy thug, at least."

The medic couldn't help but laugh as well. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Depends. You mean as in now, later, or in the far-flung future?"

Edwin rolled his eyes and made a frustrated, slightly dramatic sound. "God, you have such a one track mind."

Billy blinked. "What?" He smiled. "If you were talking in the grander sense, then I was hoping you'd help me raise my kid and get old with me . . ." Then he blushed a little at the admission and let his eyes drift out to sea again.

The other man's words seemed to stun Lifeline, the brown-eyed man standing wordlessly as his own cheeks warmed with color. The Marine didn't say anything else, already afraid he might have said too much. Edwin's gaze drifted out to the bay as well. "I'd like to do that with you," he said softly, his gaze still on the sparkling water. "That and a lot more."

Billy smiled at that, and glanced over at his lover then. "I really want Rob to meet you, Edwin." He said quietly.

"I really want to meet him too," the medic said as he turned a bit, resting his hip against the retaining wall as he faced Billy. "Even if it scares me half to death."

A bit of humor twisted the Marine's lips. "I promise he's not as infuriating as his old man."

"I don't think that could be possible anyway." Edwin shot back with a chuckle.

Billy laughed at that, and reached out, giving Edwin a gentle, playful shove.

"Hey! Watch the camera!"

Despite their location, the two felt comfortable enough to joke with one another. In their preoccupation, they never realized they were being watched by their mostly forgotten third guest, who simply smiled to himself and observed, glad his dark lenses made it completely impossible to see where he was looking.

Raising his camera, Lifeline took a few steps back from his lover and took a picture of Billy, catching the Marine's profile, the slight breeze ruffling his dark hair. Billy only chuckled at that, and shook his head, smiling. He caught Foxwell's dark form out of the corner of his eye, an involuntary chill sliding down his spine, and he felt a faint twinge in reply, something he decided he must have imagined.

A few moments later, Edwin seemed to remember Foxwell, glancing over in the blond man's direction. "Looks like Charles found something interesting."

"Seems like it." Billy agreed with a nod. "Although you'd think he'd be roasting in all that black. It's not exactly hot, but that sun's pretty intense."

The medic could only shrug. Lifeline had not thought anything about Foxwell's choice in clothing, thinking that perhaps he wore all black in deference to his dead lover.

Billy gave a shrug of his own in answer to his lover's, then turned back toward the retaining wall again. "So, what's this story of his anyway? I'd just as soon not end up sticking my foot in my mouth talking to him."

"Well for starters, he knows about the two of us." Lifeline said as he looked at Billy.

The Marine did his best not to wince. "Oh yeah?"

Edwin turned his gaze down to the seals on the rocks below them. "He saw us, last night, on the beach."

". . . Oh . . ." Billy's tone was soft.

"I think that's way he approached me when I was out running this morning."

Billy looked over at Edwin, clearly confused. "He was in a relationship with another man too." Lifeline expalined. "Someone who passed away. I guess . . . I guess seeing us together kind of brought back memories."

"That makes sense," Billy said with a nod.

"His . . . friend was married, so they had to keep it a secret." The medic's voice was soft as he continued on. "They used to come to Monterey to be together."

"Married huh? Ouch." Billy shook his head. "So . . . what happened to the guy? Did his wife find out?" The Marine's tone indicated that he wasn't trying to be funny.

"He died in Raccoon City."

Billy blinked, looking as stunned as if Edwin had struck him physically. "Christ on a cross . . ."

The medic nodded. "Apparently he was a virologist. He had gone there to see if he could help when the first reports about the supposed cannibal disease started to leak out. Charles didn't even know what had happened until he saw the news reports about Raccoon's destruction."

The virologist remark was enough to make Billy uneasy, but he nodded. "Must've been hell for him," the Marine said.

Lifeline nodded his dark head once again. "I think he's still mourning for him. Probably why he's all in black, especially since he doesn't strike me as a Johnny Cash fan."

"Probably not," Billy replied. "Still . . . damn."

"Yeah . . ." Edwin's dark eyes slowly wandered over towards the blond man. Foxwell had moved away from the tide pool, and was resting against the retaining wall several feet away from them. His arms were crossed on the edge of it, his hair ruffled slightly by the breeze.

"I guess maybe he thought he might have found a couple of kindred spirits when he saw us together." The medic continued a few moments later, his gaze going back to the Marine.

"Could be," Billy agreed. "So just how much does he know? Just that we're a couple? Or more than that?"

"That we're both in the military," Edwin answered. "I had my Army shirt on when we met up this morning. But that's pretty much it."

"All right. Guess we would seem like a couple kindred spirits, all that considered."

"Unlike him, we really know what happened in Raccoon City. I just hate thinking that his friend William might have gotten infected before he died."

"Which is why it's probably a good thing he doesn't know what really happened." Billy said quietly, even as he felt something nagging at the back of his mind. _A virologist named William?_

"I don't plan on saying anything to him." The medic said. "I hope that you won't either."

"Of course not," Billy said, shaking his head.

"It's bad enough to lose someone, no use making it worse by speculating on what might have happened beforehand."

"Exactly."

The medic gave his lover a small smile before glancing down at his watch. "We might want to get a move on if we want to see the rest of this place today."

"Right," Billy said with a nod and smiled a little. "Let's pick up our guest, then and get a move on." Edwin nodded his dark head as he pushed away from the wall. As they neared the blond, Foxwell looked over at them, and smiled a bit. "Ready to move on?" He asked.

Lifeline nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

They spent the rest of the afternoon and the earliest part of the evening wandering the aquarium. Charles took up his position as tour guide, leading the two to the most interesting exhibits, choosing things that were both informative and interesting, in the hopes of keeping both Edwin and Billy engaged. And try though he might, his earlier discussion with Edwin still bouncing around in his head, Billy couldn't shake his feeling of unease whenever Foxwell got too close. It wasn't anything the man said or did, although he seemed at times to be just a little too friendly with Edwin. But that was jealousy speaking and Billy did his best to ignore that. But it didn't stop those occasional twinges from distracting him somewhat.

It wasn't long before the facility was due to close for the night when the three men finally stepped outside and onto Cannery Row. Edwin invited Charles to join he and Billy for dinner, the medic wanting to thank the blond man for showing them around the aquarium. Foxwell declined however, thanking Lifeline for the offer and wishing the two men a good evening before departing. Billy didn't find his uneasiness backing off until the black-clad man vanished into the night's shadows.

After a few minutes of discussion, Edwin and Billy started off in the opposite direction, the pair heading off along Cannery Row to find somewhere to have dinner.

* * *

Albert Wesker stepped back into his bungalow, smiling to himself. The day had been a very enlightening one indeed. He poured himself a glass of gin, Bombay Sapphire with a twist of lemon, and moved into the living room. Settling into the couch, he took a sip of the drink and let himself consider what he had seen, observing Coen and his companion.

Steen would be relatively easy to manipulate, so far as he could tell. The sob story about a clandestine lover of his own, coupled with a liberal coating of sentimental nonsense had been enough to win the man over. It had been an impulsive decision, using William's name as he had, but he figured it was safe enough. Not that there were many virologists in the Raccoon City area with that first name. Still, he hadn't been entirely making the story up. Birkin _did_ die in Raccoon City; and since they had, as the story went, been forced to keep things so discreet, no one would expect to find anything if they went digging for information on him.

This had been deliberate on Wesker's part. Although Coen seemed to be buying "Foxwell's" story, Wesker knew that the man was paranoid and suspicious. Still, he _was_ buying it, and that left Wesker with the advantage. Using Steen's gullibility, it shouldn't be too hard to lure Coen into a trap, using Steen to keep his fellow bio-weapon under control.

Steen gave Wesker an edge over Coen, he knew that now without a doubt. Even if he hadn't managed to nudge out the information that Steen and Coen were lovers, it was easy to see a deep kinship of some kind between them, regardless of what it might be. And in spite of Coen's more aggressive personality, he seemed to defer to Steen in most things, taking a more passive role in their relationship as far as Wesker could tell. That was an interesting tidbit of information, one Wesker rolled over in his mind as he took another sip of his drink. He would have never expected Coen to have a male lover, given the information in the dossier he had been supplied with; and he certainly never would have guessed that the man would play bitch to someone as . . . well, _feminine _as Steen. Wesker supposed it was true, the saying that you "never could tell."

Still, the situation as it stood was fortunate for him all the way around. Setting his drink aside, the blond man reached for his laptop. It was time, he decided, to send a progress report to his employers.

* * *

In their penthouse suite atop the Extensive Enterprises building in New York City, their high-backed black leather chairs turned towards one another, Tomax and Xamot read over the latest report from Albert Wesker, each man holding a plain manila folder, the copied pages inside.

"Mr. Wesker seems to be -" Xamot started.

" - doing quite well." his twin finished, the two men looking up at one another.

Before they had initially contacted him, the twins had done a thorough investigation of Albert Wesker, their extensive resources both human and digital giving every indication that he was the best at what he did, and just the man to handle the job since it appeared that their associates within Cobra were unable to do so.

After the collapse of Umbrella and its subsequent quiet acquisition by Extensive Enterprises, the twins had spent a great deal of time searching out former employees of the pharmaceutical giant, those that had been doing legitimate research work as well as those who had been part of the White Umbrella faction. The opportunity to continue with their research had been enough to lure a great deal of them back, particularly since having the name Umbrella attached to their professional careers had been a stigma that a great many of them had found impossible to escape from.

Of those that had been lured back were a pair of scientists who had been part of the Trojan Horse project that had been conducted at the Lakeview Institution For The Criminally Insane, former assistants to Doctor Marilyn Trine, the predecessor of the facility's founder. It was Trine who had initially opened the door to Umbrella, welcoming the pharmaceutical giant's seemingly inexhaustible checkbook while turning a blind eye to their use of the patients under her care.

It didn't take long for their two new employees to bring the Trojan Horse project to Tomax and Xamot's attention, the implication of what such a bio-weapon could mean to Cobra quite clear. Unfortunately however, the pair had only been able to produce one viable specimen, and that one had been destroyed by the Joes when they had invaded the defunct institution and the hidden lab that had been beneath it. Not that the lab hadn't been a total loss by the time the Joes had arrived. The incompetence of some of the staff had led to a viral outbreak that had decimated the lab's human population and left it abandoned by Cobra.

The continued failure to produce a viable Trojan Horse specimen had Cobra Commander furious, the enigmatic leader refusing to accept all the scientific excuses as to why one could not be reproduced, despite Cobra having access to the majority of the research that had been done at Lakeview before the facility had closed down years earlier. The fact that only one in ten million people had the compatible DNA didn't seem to matter to him, all he wanted was results, which is why he had set his sights on capturing one Billy Coen, a former patient at Lakeview and apparently the only living Trojan Horse specimen that anyone was aware of.

All earlier attempts to capture the man had ended in failure, the most recent being Zarana's infiltration of the Joes under the guise of one of the members of Coen's bio-weapons team. In her defense, Zarana _had_ managed to activate the Trojan Horse parasite, though she had not been able to complete the final step which would have put it under Cobra's control; and, if their informants within the STRATCOM ranks were to be believed, the parasite itself had eventually been "neutralized" though it had not been possible to remove it from Coen. Despite that apparent set back, Doctor Mindbender still insisted that Coen was valuable, the Cobra scientist convinced that the remnants of the parasite could still be useful as well as the man who carried it, thus the hiring of Albert Wesker.

So far Tomax and Xamot had no complaints, though they both wished that things could have been moving at a slightly swifter place. Still, Wesker was the supposed expert when it came to dealing with Umbrella spawned bio-weapons and they would have to trust in his methods – at least for the time being.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Billy and Edwin awoke to rain, the bright blue sky that they had enjoyed for the past few days replaced by one of iron gray. The medic took one look out at the drizzling sky and decided to forgo his morning run. Instead, the two had slept in, wrapped around each other under the bed coverings until mid-morning. The pair had not made any real plans for the day, thinking to maybe do a little surf fishing but the cool rainy weather made the idea quite unattractive. Billy had taken some time to call his son once again while Edwin retreated to the living room to read.

The rain ceased and the sun made a reappearance sometime late in the afternoon, pushing away the gray clouds though the slightly cooler air remained. Antsy after being cooped up in the house for most of the day, Billy announced his intention to give the grill out on the deck a try. While his lover saw to the main entree, Edwin focused on putting together a salad and putting the oven to some use for a couple of baked potatoes.

After dinner, Billy helped with the dishes before disappearing outside once again, presumably to smoke while Edwin once again took up his book. Some time after he disappeared outside, Billy slipped back into the bungalow, and went looking for Edwin. The man had been buried in his book most of the day, and while Billy knew it was something he enjoyed, the Marine wanted to take advantage of the much clearer weather now. "Hey, love?"

"Hm?" The sound of his lover's voice drew Edwin's attention away from the page, his dark eyes looking up and over at the other brunette.

"Got a sec?"

"Sure." the medic answered as he marked his place and closed the book. "What's up?" he asked as he set the thick tome aside.

"There's something I wanna show you."

Lifeline's brow furrowed a bit as he rose from the couch. "What?"

Billy just smiled in response and motioned for Edwin to follow him. The Marine led his lover outside and down onto the stretch of beach that came with their bungalow. When he reached the spot he had set up, he turned Edwin toward it. A bottle of champagne was sitting nestled in a small bucket of ice, two glasses sitting nearby. A blanket had been spread out on the sand. Billy had chosen his niche both carefully and well. It was near the water, but not too close; and it was also well out of sight of the other cottages, ensuring the two men complete privacy. It was just nearing sunset as they arrived, and Billy slid up behind Edwin, murmuring in his ear. "Whatcha think?"

Words escaped the medic for a few moments as he looked at the set up. "Billy . . ."

"I tried to keep it simple," The Marine went on softly. "But I had to do something . . ."

Edwin turned his gaze to the other man finding the gesture incredibly sweet and romantic despite his admonishment about doing something very similar when they had first arrived.

Billy looked uncertain, but was smiling hopefully. He hadn't been sure how his lover would receive the gesture, given that they had been caught walking together before which had prompted him to choose his location very, very carefully. "C'mon," He said softly, gently ushering Edwin toward the blanket. "We've got a sunset to watch . . ."

Lifeline let the blue-eyed man maneuver him to the blanket, the medic dropping down to sit cross-legged on the plaid flannel, a slight breeze ruffling his dark hair as he settled himself, the sand shifting underneath him.

Settling down beside Edwin, Billy shifted until he was comfortable, and poured his lover a glass of the champagne, handing it to the other man. Lifeline took the glass, his fingers brushing the Marine's briefly in the process, giving the other brunette a faint smile. Billy smiled back, pouring a second glass for himself before settling into his seat again.

Edwin put the glass to his lips, taking a small sip, his brown eyes going to the water, the last rays of the fading sun glinting off the gently rolling waves. Taking a sip from his own glass, Billy reached out after a moment, touching the back of Edwin's free hand lightly. The medic turned to look at the man beside him, another faint smile playing on his lips. "You're the most infuriating person I think I've ever met in my life," he said softly.

Billy blinked, clearly not expecting a remark like that. "What do you mean?"

"Because it's near impossible for me to be angry with you."

Again, the Marine blinked. "Did I do something to piss you off?" He asked, completely perplexed.

"No," the other man responded with a slight shake of his head, that small smile still on his lips. "Thank you." Edwin said softly as he leaned in closer to Billy before pressing a light kiss to the blue-eyed man's cheek.

Billy smiled at that kiss, and let his fingertips brush the back of Edwin's hand again. "You're welcome."

Lifeline laid the side his dark head on the Marine's shoulder, his hand moving to settle on Billy's denim-clad thigh, just above his knee. The Marine exhaled a soft sound, and after a moment, slid an arm around Edwin's waist, turning his blue eyes to the sunset again as the last of the day's light faded, the sun sinking below the horizon.

The two men sat quietly, the lap of the waves on the shore the only sound as the sky deepened to indigo punctuated with a silvery twinkle of stars. "I didn't get a chance to ask you yesterday, but did you have a good time?" The Marine asked softly as the sky continued to darken and the stars seemed to become all the more bright.

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah, I did," Billy said with a nod and a grin. "The bat rays were cool."

"I can't wait to download the pictures." Edwin couldn't help but chuckle. "You should have seen the look on your face."

"You were just as bad as me," Billy replied with a chuckle of his own. "I just didn't have the camera at the time."

"Maybe I'll do it later on the laptop when we go back in."

"Sounds like a plan," Billy said softly.

Lifeline lifted his head slightly so that he could take another sip of champagne. "What did you think of Charles?" he asked as he resettled himself against the Marine's shoulder.

"He seemed okay," Billy said softly. "A little odd, somehow . . . have you got any idea what he does for a living?"

"No, I kind of got the impression that he travels a lot." The medic replied. "What do you mean by odd?"

"It's nothing I can really put my finger on, lover," Billy said softly, shifting uncomfortably. "Maybe it's just the paranoia acting up again . . ."

Edwin made a non-committal sound, neither agreeing or disagreeing. "I uh . . . I was kind of thinking of maybe inviting him to go out for dinner or something with us, if that's okay." He said a moment or two later.

Billy's immediate reaction was to say no, and to keep as far away from the blond man as possible. But he couldn't come up with any other reason than his gut hunch, and that wasn't going to be enough to satisfy Edwin. "Don't really see any reason why not," Billy murmured quietly, deciding the best way to handle the situation was to go along with it. Lifeline's slight stutter warned Billy that the medic was getting nervous, and Billy hated that. He didn't want his lover to walk on eggshells, especially not with him.

"I feel kind of sad for him," the brown-eyed man added as if he needed to continue pleading his case. "He just seems kind of lonely."

"Then sure," Billy said with a nod. "Why not?"

Edwin raised his head to give the Marine another kiss on the cheek, a small smile on his lips as he pulled back.

Billy looked over at Edwin, and returned the smile as best he could. "C'mon," he said softly. "What'd you think I was gonna say?"

The medic shrugged slightly. "I can tell that you don't really like him. Paranoia or not."

"There's just something odd about him," Billy said, shrugging. "I wish I could say what it was, but I don't know . . . just a gut feeling."

"Maybe that gut feeling will go away once we get to know him a little better."

"Maybe," Billy admitted, nodding.

Edwin gave his lover's leg a light pat with his hand before putting the champagne glass to his lips and draining the remainder of the pale liquid. The Marine resisted the urge to sigh, shoving aside his uncertainty where Charles Foxwell was concerned. There'd be time enough to examine it later. Right now, he just wanted to enjoy the time he had with Edwin. He set aside his own glass, still half-full, and laid a hand on the one Edwin had placed on his thigh.

"This was really nice." the medic said softly after a few quiet moments. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Billy said softly, drawing Edwin just a little closer.

"All that's missing is a fire." Lifeline's dark head returned once more to his lover's shoulder.

"Wouldn't take long to build one, if you really wanted," Billy offered, smiling when Edwin relaxed against him.

"I think I can survive without one."

"All right," Billy said, turning his head to place a kiss on the top of Edwin's head.

The gentle touch brought another smile to the medic's face, his eyes sliding closed as he relaxed against the Marine. Billy shifted slightly, wrapping both arms around his lover and closing his eyes a little. While their conversation about Foxwell had been a bit of a cold douse to his earlier passion, he still wanted Edwin close.

The pair let the ebb and flow of the tide serenade them for a bit, the night air cool but not uncomfortably so. "Shame the weather's not like this every night," Billy murmured softly. "I'd be half-tempted to sleep outside, it's so nice."

"No sleeping bags this trip unfortunately."

"That's all right," Billy said, shifting slightly so he could nuzzle Edwin's hair lightly. "My luck I'd try it and it'd rain again."

"The sky is completely clear . . ." The medic said, his voice trailing off as he lifted his head to look at the Marine. "It wasn't earlier," Billy replied, smiling as he met Edwin's gaze. Lifeline took a few moments, obviously contemplating something. Billy watched his lover curiously, the medic's expression difficult to read.

"You know," Edwin started. "You don't always _have_ to have sleeping bag . . ."

The Marine considered that, nodding a little. "True."

"And there are more blankets in the house . . ."

"Wouldn't be quite the same without company, though," Billy replied quietly.

Lifeline gave the other man a little poke in the ribs with his elbow. "What do you think I was getting at, you thick-brained Jar Head?"

"Hey, hey," Billy said, laughing. "Now I don't think I deserved that." Then he nudged Edwin back gently. "But I think it sounds like a good idea."

"Of course it is," the medic said. "I thought of it."

Again, the Marine laughed. "So, want me to go get those extra blankets?"

"I'll go with you," Edwin said as he started to pull away from Billy. "Bring the rest of this champagne in."

"Okay," Billy said with a nod, reluctantly letting his lover go.

The medic gathered up the glasses before moving to pick up the ice bucket, setting the long-stemmed flutes in it before rising to his feet. Once Billy had joined him, the two made their way back to the bungalow.

It didn't take long for them to store the champagne away and grab the extra blankets, Billy volunteering to carry them back out to the beach. While they were inside, Edwin took the opportunity to exchange his t-shirt for a sweatshirt, though he opted to keep the cargo shorts he had been wearing. After making sure that the front door was locked and that the lights were off, the two men made their way back down to their secluded spot.

Once they reached it, Billy spent a little bit of time getting the blankets situated, making the two of them a simple, but warm, nest. He had grabbed a long-sleeved button-up shirt of his own, a blue flannel plaid that was nearly as worn as his jeans, but hadn't bothered putting it on yet.

Lifeline stood back, letting the Marine handle things, watching Billy's silhouette. Once Billy had everything set up to his liking, he glanced back at Edwin and smiled when he saw the man watching him. "And I can't even get you to make the bed in the morning." the medic said, his tone slightly teasing.

"That's not true," Billy replied. "You just don't ask very often."

Lifeline closed the short distance between them, the medic sliding his arms around the other man's waist. Billy made a soft, content sound at that, his own arms sliding around the medic, his head tilting up to press a gentle kiss to the side of Edwin's neck. A similar sound escaped from Edwin, his eyes falling closed at the soft touch, his fingertips sliding up Billy's spine a bit. The Marine shivered at the touch, and repeated the brush of his lips against the medic's warm skin. Lifeline made another soft please sound, his head tipping back a bit as his fingers continued their slow creep up the other man's spine. Billy nipped very lightly at the skin, another soft sound rising in his throat at Edwin's touch as he slowly pulled the other man down toward the nest of blankets.

A visible shudder went through the medic, Lifeline pliant in his lover's arms as they slid down onto the plaid flannel once again. The Marine sat comfortably, drawing Edwin down beside him, his lips still teasing the side of his lover's neck lightly. The medic's fingers slid into the hair at the back of Billy's head, the other man's continued attention to his sensitive skin drawing a soft moan from his slightly parted lips.

The moan was a welcome sound, and Billy's lips sought out Edwin's, the kiss warm and expressive. Lifeline met his lover halfway, matching the tone of the kiss, his fingers tightening ever so slightly in Billy's dark brown locks. That kiss drew on, Billy aware of nothing but the warmth of his lover's body, the cool ocean air, and the sound of waves as they lapped at the beach. Edwin tilted his head slightly, sealing their mouths more tightly together, his other hand sliding up from Billy's waist to lightly rest at the small of the man's back.

The Marine shivered, the kiss becoming more insistent. His back was completely healed now, the skin grafts long since integrated into his own flesh, but it still felt odd to be touched across the old wound. Only the need to breath broke the two men apart, both of them gasping a little for breath. Billy nuzzled Edwin lightly, laying back and pulling his lover gently with him, his eyes going to the night sky and the millions of stars that twinkled in the dark expanse.

Edwin's fingers slipped from the Marine's hair as he settled next to Billy, his arm sliding around the other brunette's waist as he laid his head on Billy's muscled shoulder. "Yeah," Billy whispered softly. "Definitely a good idea you had."

"I wouldn't have had it if you hadn't of said something first."

"Still," Billy replied and shifted slightly.

Lifeline raised his head slightly and kissed Billy's cheek. "I love you." he murmured, his voice just loud enough to be heard over the tide as it gently rolled up against the shoreline. "I love you, too," Billy breathed back, tilting his head so he could whisper the words in Edwin's ear, pulling the other man just a little closer still. Lifting his arm from Billy's waist, the medic brought his hand up to the Marine's face, his fingertips trailing over the other man's stubbled jaw.

The touch drew a purr from Billy, and he tilted his head into it. Lifeline smiled faintly, his fingertips lightly brushing over the Marine's lips. Billy kissed Edwin's fingertips as they brushed over his lips, and smiled back. "Ready to cuddle under the covers with me?" He murmured.

"Always," came the equally soft reply as Edwin's fingers slid away from his lover's face, the medic reaching up to remove his glasses. Billy toed off his boots, shifting to open the little nest of blankets so he could slip into them, and waiting so that Edwin could do the same. Already barefoot, Lifeline was more concerned with what to do with his glasses before he finally reached for the shirt that Billy had brought with him, setting it nearby so that it was still within arm's reach before leaving his glasses on it. Finished, he turned back towards the Marine, sliding beneath the covers of their makeshift bed.

Billy settled the blanket down around them, and his arms went to wrap around Edwin again, pulling the medic close, his lips seeking his lover's once more. There was no urgency to this kiss, only all the emotions Billy never quite managed to find words for. Lifeline all but melted against the other man, his arms going around the Marine as Billy's warm bulk pressed close to him.

The returned embrace made the Marine smile into the kiss. He had more or less promised that there would be no free shows in the sand, but that didn't mean that he still wouldn't try to make love to Edwin on the beach while they were there. A faint moan escaped from the medic, his hand slipping under Billy's shirt, his fingertips lightly brushing over the other man's scarred lower back, any thoughts or concerns he might have had about the two of them on the beach seeming to have fled as he gave himself up to his own emotions.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Billy and Edwin spent the next couple of days exploring the area around Monterey, taking in Carmel-By-The-Sea, Pebble Beach and Big Sur. The Marine in particular liked the expansive wooded area, more than once saying aloud that he wished that they had brought their camping equipment with them. In between their travels, the pair also managed to get in a bit of surf fishing along the private beach behind their rented cottage. It had been during one of these outings when Edwin had once again met up with Charles Foxwell, Billy having left the medic for a bit to get some beer and a pack of cigarettes. Once again, the blond man had been all politeness, graciously accepting Edwin's invitation to join he and Billy for a late lunch. Once the time had been set, the blond man had taken his leave of Lifeline, citing some important papers that had been delivered to him from his office.

Between the two of them, Edwin and Billy had reeled in some nice stripped bass and ocean perch, the medic thinking that they would be the perfect entrees for a nice lunch out on the deck. Leaving the cleaning and filleting to his lover, Lifeline made a quick trip to the local market for a few things before returning home to start preparations for the meal.

By the time he'd gotten home, Billy had the fish cleaned and filleted. He had been working methodically, his mind elsewhere. Edwin had let him know that they were having a late lunch with Foxwell, something that the Marine had greeted with cautious enthusiasm. Still, the decision seemed to please Edwin, so Billy let it pass, calming his own nerves with a drink while he worked. When Edwin finally got home, the Marine was deboning the last fillet, checking it over carefully and working with a pair of needle-nose pliers.

Setting his bags down on the counter, the medic made his way over to check on the Marine's progress. "What do you think," he inquired. "Oven or grill?"

"I don't mind grilling 'em, if you feel up to it," Billy replied looking over at Edwin and smiling a little. "After all, you cooked last night."

"Grill sounds good." the brown-eyed man said as he leaned in and gave his lover a light kiss on the cheek.

Billy smiled at that, feeling some of his anxiety melt away at the attention. "So what time's he supposed to be here?" The Marine asked, turning his head to nuzzle Edwin briefly before resuming his work with the pliers.

Edwin glanced down at his watch. "About an hour and a half," he replied. "Which means I better get a move on with everything else."

"We've got plenty of time," The Marine said, checking the fillet over again before nodding to himself and laying it with the others, tucked in foil on a bed of ice.

"Never hurts to be ahead of the game."

"Suppose there's that," Billy agreed with a nod and a faint smile.

When Foxwell finally did show, fashionably late, he apologized for the delay in his arrival. "A call came in just as I was heading out the door," He explained. "And I had to take it."

Edwin waved off the apology. "Don't worry about it." The blond man had come by way of the beach, joining the two men out on the deck.

Billy looked away from his grill, and Foxwell looked toward him, smiling a bit and nodding in greeting. Billy nodded a bit back. "Drink?" He asked the blond man.

"I wouldn't mind."

"We've got iced tea and beer at least."

"The iced tea sounds just about perfect."

It was Edwin who saw to getting Charles' drink, handing over a glass of the sun-brewed beverage to the other man. "We're glad you agreed to come over," he said as he picked up his own glass. "We don't really get to . . . entertain much."

"Busy lives, if nothing else," Foxwell said with a nod, taking the glass from Edwin and taking a sip of it. "I don't either, anymore, not really."

The medic indicated that Charles should have a seat, gesturing to the chairs set up around the round table where they would be having lunch. "I didn't ask you earlier, but I hope fish is okay. "

"Fish is fine," The blond said with a nod as he found a seat, settling comfortably. "So, have the two of you been enjoying your vacation so far?"

Edwin nodded, his brown eyes glancing at Billy as he did so, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Very much."

Billy grinned back a little, then let his attention wander back to the fish as he listened. Foxwell nodded at Edwin's response. "Excellent to hear," he said.

"It's a beautiful area," The medic remarked before putting his glass to his lips and taking a sip of iced tea.

Silence reigned for a few minutes, before Billy spoke. "So, Charles," He said. "You know what the two of us do for a living. How about you?"

Foxwell smiled a bit. "Self-employed, actually. I'm an author."

"An author? Wow." Edwin looked rather impressed.

"That's pretty impressive," Billy agreed with a nod of his own. "What do you write?"

"Mostly mysteries, a little science fiction." Foxwell took a sip of his tea. "Although it's been a while since I've had anything published."

"I read a lot of science fiction," Lifeline said. "Maybe I've read something of yours. Although I think I'd remember your name."

"Likely you've read something under one of my pseudonyms," Foxwell said.

"What names have you written under?" the medic ventured.

"Hmm . . . the one you'd have most likely seen was Mathew Barna," Foxwell said, tilting his head to the side slightly. "Most of my other releases have all been in the UK."

Edwin thought for a moment. "No, I don't think I have then," he said. "Although I'll be sure to look for it the next time I'm in a bookstore."

"Or if you like, I believe there are still a few of them with me." Charles said, and added softly. "They were William's favorites."

"I couldn't," the medic said with a slight shake of his dark head.

"If you're sure. He'd like to know they were being read, I think." The blond man smiled a bit. "He always told me I was too sentimental."

Billy had a hard time believing the man was anything resembling sentimental. "I heard a little about what happened to him," The Marine said softly. "My condolences."

Foxwell studied Billy quietly for several moments, his eyes widening behind his glasses when they lit on the Marine's tattoo. "I thought your name sounded familiar," He murmured. "Coen. Billy Coen."

"Yeah, I was in the news a few years back."

Lifeline's coffee colored eyes flicked from one man to the other. "Everything was cleared up," he interjected a bit hastily. "I'm sure you must have heard about it."

"Oh, yes. It was all over the papers," Foxwell agreed with a nod. "I remember reading about it, and thinking it would have made a fantastic piece of fiction."

Billy smiled wryly. "Does have all the makings of a Saturday night cable movie, doesn't it?"

"Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction," Edwin said. "Or so they say."

"According to what some of the papers said, you'd been rumored to have been seen around Raccoon City before the outbreak."

Billy tensed. "Maybe."

Foxwell gave a tiny, sheepish smile. "I was just wondering how long before that it was."

"Couple months beforehand." Billy took a longer drink of his beer. " 'Fraid I can't say much more than that."

"O-of course, of course," Foxwell said, his head bobbing in agreement. "Wouldn't want you to get in trouble, after all."

Again, that not quite pleasant smile twisted Billy's lips. "Appreciated, since I seem to be pretty good at doing it all on my own."

The medic watched the exchange between the two men. "How're those fillets coming?" he asked his lover, hoping to change what was becoming a tense subject.

"They'll keep for a couple," Billy said, his eyes turning to the medic.

"Maybe I should start getting everything else to the table." Lifeline rose to his feet, setting his glass down.

Once Edwin had moved into the house, Billy turned his gaze to Foxwell again. "So, about this friend of yours? Edwin didn't really tell me much."

Foxwell leaned back in his chair, and sipped his drink. "His name was William Birkin. He was a virologist working in Raccoon at the time of the outbreak."

Birkin's name made something in the back of Billy's head click, although the Marine couldn't figure out why. "Risky business, considering. I hope he wasn't at ground zero, so to speak."

Foxwell gave a thin smile. "He worked for Umbrella, Lieutenant. You tell me."

The hairs on the back of Billy's neck stood up at that; he didn't remember Edwin mentioning giving the man their ranks. His tone remained surprisingly even as he spoke, however. "And you were outta town?"

Foxwell nodded, calming a bit. "Yes, attending to some business overseas with the release of my newest book."

"I'm sorry to hear it."

"I'm grateful I was away."

Their conversation came to a standstill as Edwin reappeared, the medic bearing a mixed green salad along with two bottles of salad dressing for the three of them to choose from. If he noticed that things seemed quiet, he didn't mention it, only retraced his steps back inside to get the rest of the side dishes.

Once Edwin was gone again, Foxwell looked at Billy once more, peering at him shrewdly over the tops of his glasses. "William knew a few people in town, and he'd heard about the incident with the Spencer Mansion. I'd always wondered, did those poor S.T.A.R.S. members make it out of there all right? As I recall, one of them was quite young. A Rebecca . . . Chambers, wasn't it?"

Again, Billy felt a prickle of something down his spine. "I wouldn't know," he lied smoothly.

"Billy?" Lifeline's voice echoed from the kitchen through the screen of the sliding door. "Can you come and give me a quick hand?"

"Be right there," Billy called out, loud enough to be heard, then looked back at Foxwell silently a moment, before moving into the house, trying to shake the sudden chill he'd picked up.

The medic looked up and over as the Marine entered the house. "Can you take that bowl of vegetables out?" he asked, gesturing at the bowl of steamed mixed vegetables on the counter with his hand.

"Sure, no problem," Billy said, picking up the bowl. "Hey, Edwin, can I ask you a quick question?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you happen to mention our ranks to our guest at any point?"

Edwin's brows knit together. "I don't think so," he said with a slight shake of his dark head. "I might have, but . . . no, I don't think so. Why?"

Billy shook his own head. "Just came up in conversation, and I was wondering if you'd said it, or if he'd gotten it out of the newspaper or something."

"I don't know." the other man said. "I think I just mentioned what branches we were in."

"Okay. No big deal," Billy said, shrugging it off and offering Edwin a smile. "Thanks." And that said, he slipped out of the house to go set the bowl down outside. The medic's brows were still furrowed as he turned back to the rice dish that he had been finishing up.

When Billy stepped outside, he wasn't the least bit surprised to discover Foxwell hadn't seemed to so much as twitch, watching the Marine behind his glasses in a way that would have been creepy in a normal person. From Foxwell, it was downright unsettling, like being watched by a large, predatory snake. Shaking away that mental image before it ran away with him, Billy stepped back into the house for a plate to lay the finished fish fillets on, eager to get away from Foxwell's scrutiny.

Edwin had the last of the side dishes in a serving bowl, the brown eyed man on his way back out onto the deck when Billy stepped back inside. "I've got the last of it," he said thinking that his lover had returned to help him. "Okay," Billy said. "I'm just gonna grab a plate for those fillets, and I'll be right there." The medic gave the Marine a quick yet warm smile before he stepped back outside.

"Lunch is just about served," Edwin said as he set the bowl of seasoned brown rice down on the table.

"You two didn't have to go to so much trouble," Foxwell said with a slight smile. "This is quite the meal."

"It's kind of late for lunch and a little too early for dinner, so . . . " the medic shrugged a little. "We were planning on cooking the fish anyway."

"Freshly caught, I imagine?"

"The only way to eat fish," Edwin said with smile as he slid into his seat.

"I would have to agree," Foxwell replied, smiling at the medic as he took a sip of his tea.

"We both love to fish," Lifeline said as he picked up his iced tea, most of the ice now-melted, and took a sip.

"The both of you?" Foxwell smiled a little more. "I would never have guessed."

The other man smiled a bit. "Its a very relaxing hobby."

"I never picked up the knack for it, myself," Foxwell admitted. "Never cared much for handling them after the fact."

Edwin chuckled lightly. "That is the messy part."

Foxwell gave Edwin a shrewd look. "The part, I imagine, you let your other half take care of?"

"Sometimes," the medic replied. "One of us will volunteer to clean, sometimes we split them up if we've had a really good catch. No big deal."

Foxwell chuckled. "You are more man than I, then," he said solemnly, with a faint smile that hinted at teasing.

"Although I do tend to let Billy handle the ones with a lot of small bones – better eyesight." Edwin chuckled once again.

"Ah, a man of the needle-nose pliers deboning method?" Foxwell asked.

"No better way in the world to debone a fish," Billy replied, stepping out with the plate he'd gone looking for, and heading over to the grill.

Lifeline looked over at the Marine, a faint smile unconsciously finding its way to his lips. "The master deboner," he joked.

"Y'know," Billy remarked, pulling the fish of the grill. "There oughta be some kinda crude remark in there, but I just can't seem to find it."

"And you would look too." Edwin shot back, his cheeks coloring just slightly. The Marine shot Edwin his best lecherous grin as he came over to the table. "Of course."

The medic made a frustrated, and overly dramatic, sound, shaking his head slightly. "See what I have to put up with?" Foxwell only laughed, and even Billy chuckled at that.

Once the Marine was seated, the trio started passing dishes and bowls, Edwin giving the herb-encrusted fillets an appreciative sniff before removing a portion from the serving plate. It didn't take long for the food to get itself portioned out, and the three were relatively quiet as they ate. Billy and Edwin had skipped breakfast for the most part, the duo wanting to get in some early morning fishing though they had not set any specific plans for the afternoon until the medic had met up with Charles Foxwell.

"The two of you are quite accomplished cooks," Foxwell said approvingly.

"We get by." Edwin said, faint spots of color appearing on his cheeks.

"Unfortunately," Billy said, "You've seen the edge of my culinary expertise. I never managed much more than the grill."

"But you're a master of the grill," his lover said, the medic turning his brown eyes on the Marine. "I usually manage to burn everything, whether its gas or charcoal."

That actually drew a very faint blush to Billy's cheeks, and he hid it behind a swallow of his drink. Foxwell chuckled softly at that. "Well, that's something I never thought I'd see."

Edwin looked at the blond man curiously. Billy watched Foxwell out of the corner of his eye as the man spoke. "Oh, it's nothing, really. Just an absent-minded writer's observation," the blond said, seemingly embarrassed at having spoken aloud.

Lifeline found the cryptic remark puzzling but he let it go. "In any case, we're obviously not starving." he said giving his midsection a slight pat.

"I imagine it's rather a good thing the two of you live as active a life as you do," Foxwell replied with a chuckle. "If I ate like this every day, I'd have gained a good deal of weight."

"That really depends on what you eat," Edwin said, the brown-eyed man unconsciously falling into "medic" mode. "Actually all of this is good for you for the most part. The salad, steamed vegetables, the fish . . . even the rice. Hardly any fat."

Billy hid a snicker behind a bite of fish, amused to see Edwin "playing doctor" with their guest. Foxwell looked amused himself. "Although I've heard steaming and boiling runs the risk of cooking out a lot of the nutrients," he replied thoughtfully.

"Only if you over do it." Lifeline corrected, only to flush faintly. "Sorry," he said sheepishly. "Sometimes I can start lecturing without even realizing it."

Foxwell chuckled. "It's all right," he said. "I've always found it rather endearing, and William was far worse than you are."

"I do it to Billy all the time," the medic offered up, his gaze turning to the Marine for a moment before going back to Foxwell. "Although I think he's learned how to tune it out for the most part." Edwin chuckled lightly.

"I'm sorry," Billy said, a twinkle in his eye in spite of the blankness of his tone. "Were you saying something?"

Lifeline elbowed his lover in the ribs, that frustrated growl from earlier sounding in his throat. "Smart ass . . ."

Billy jumped a little at the elbow, and grinned. "Naturally," he replied. The medic rolled his eyes and shook his head silently. Foxwell chuckled, and the meal continued on in silence.

Between the three of them, they managed to polish off just above everything, the trio lingering at the table afterward.

As they sat, Billy still couldn't shake the uneasy feeling he was being watched, and rather than say something, the Marine decided to handle it by clearing away the dishes that were still sitting on their table. It wasn't only for the desire to get away from Foxwell's gaze, but also to discourage flies from gathering on their porch.

As the Marine set to the task quietly, starting with what little remained of the fish and side dishes, Foxwell looked to Edwin and grinned a little. "You've got him well-trained, too," he said, leaning over in his chair to say the words in a conspiritual tone, though it easily carried to Billy's ears as well.

The medic, who had been in the process of taking a sip from his iced tea, sputtered and blushed deeply. If the remark hadn't been intended for Billy, the Marine might have appreciated Edwin's reaction a little more, which was comical, to say the least. As it was, he simply gave Foxwell a dry smile. "That's me," he said. "Well-trained hired help." And without waiting for the other man's reply, excused himself into the house.

Coughing a bit, Edwin watched his lover go. Knowing Billy as well as he did, he could tell that the Marine had not taken Foxwell's comments as the the joke that they were no doubt intended to be.

"Mmm, he's a touchy one," Foxwell said thoughtfully once Billy was out of earshot.

Lifeline smiled awkwardly. "His sense of humor is just a little different than yours." He offered up, his glance once again going towards the back door that the Marine had disappeared into.

"I'll try to remember that," the blond promised, smiling a bit. "William used to tell me rather often my humor could be a little . . . off-color."

"He must not have minded it too much if he stayed with you."

"I suppose there is that," Foxwell agreed with a nod and a smile. "If you don't mind my saying so, though, you and Billy seem an . . . unlikely match."

Another blush found its way to the medic's cheeks, though this one was considerable less pronounced. "One of those cases of opposites, I guess." Edwin said softly. "It was a surprise to the both of us."

"Well, I certainly wish you the best. He seems a bit rough around the edges, but like a good person."

Lifeline smiled faintly. "He is that," he agreed. "On both counts."

"Well, I hope I haven't inadvertently soured his mood too much."

"I'm sure he knows it was just a joke," the medic said.

Foxwell gave Edwin a knowing smile. "And I'm sure you've got ways of smoothing those wrinkles in his temper well enough, hm?"

The blond man's words pulled yet another blush to Lifeline's cheeks, the dark-haired man once again smiling a bit awkwardly as he rubbed at the back of his neck. "Some more iced tea?" he asked a bit hurriedly.

"I think, actually, I'd best be wandering home," Foxwell replied with a chuckle. "The meal was quite good, but it's left me a bit sleepy, and I think a nap's in order before I try to put in my work hours for the day."

"Oh . . . well I uh . . . I'm – we're glad you could come over." Edwin said.

"Thank you very much for your hospitality," Foxwell said, gifting Edwin with a smile as he stood. "And I hope you'll give me a chance to return it before you leave."

The medic rose to his feet as well. "We'd like that," he said as he offered his hand to the blond man. "Maybe I'll catch you in the morning again for another run."

"I'd like that very much," Foxwell replied, reaching out to give Edwin's hand a firm shake.

Lifeline nodded before releasing Charles' hand. "Don't be a stranger," he added. "We're going to be here for a couple of more weeks. You're welcome to drop by."

"Thank you," Foxwell said as he let his hand drop away. "And the invitation extends to you, and your significant other, as well. I'm not very good at entertaining, but I don't mind the company a bit."

Edwin gave the other man a small smile as he walked him to the steps that led down to the beach. "Maybe we'll see more of each other then."

"I certainly hope so," Foxwell said sincerely, then gave Edwin a playful little bow, and started walking back toward his own bungalow.

The medic watched the blond for a few moments before turning away and making his way back to the table to gather up what was still left to be cleaned up and taken inside.

Billy had already tucked the left-overs away, and was in the middle of washing dishes when Edwin came in. Lifeline set the glasses he had brought in on the counter next to the sink. "You didn't have to do that." he said, leaning against the counter. "I could've taken care of those."

"It's no big deal," Billy said quietly, glancing over at Edwin and smiling a little.

The medic returned his lover's smile with a small one of his own. "The fish was great." he said as he moved to stand next to the Marine, intending to lend Billy a hand with what was left.

"Wasn't anything special," Billy said, turning his eyes to the dishes again, the smile not leaving his face. "Glad you liked it, though."

Quietly, Edwin and Billy worked their way through the rest of dishes, though the Marine had already taken care of the majority of them by the time the medic had made his way back inside. Once everything was washed and set in the drying rack next to the sink, Edwin turned away to wipe down the stove top and counter.

Billy dried off his own hands and stepped out of Edwin's way, more than willing to let the medic finish cleaning up. Once he was satisfied that everything was spic and span, Lifeline set the sponge back in the sink and folded up the dishtowel he had been using, leaving it on the counter.

Billy was leaning against a counter out of the way, smiling a little at that, but the expression slid from his face as his mind, not for the first time, replayed the conversation he'd had with Foxwell. Something about the whole situation had seemed off, and the Marine just couldn't put his finger on why.

"I think lunch went well," Edwin said as he turned towards Billy.

"Pretty well, I guess," Billy said with a nod, startled a little from his thoughts by the sound of his lover's voice.

"It's nice to have someone over and not have to worry about appearances." the medic continued on.

"Can't really argue with that," Billy said, a faint smile touching his lips. "It was a nice change of pace, that way."

Edwin leaned against the counter. "Charles seems like a really interesting man."

"That's a word for it," Billy agreed.

"Hopefully we'll get to see more of him while we're here."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," the medic replied, his brows furrowing slightly. "It's nice to be able to have a conversation with someone . . . someone other than people that you work with."

"That makes sense," Billy said with a nod. "More stuff in common, if nothing else."

Lifeline looked at his lover silently for a few moments. "I know he seems a little . . . different," he said. "Maybe it's because he's a writer, but he seems like a nice man."

"He seems like it. I dunno. There's just something . . . off about him." Billy shrugged. "It's nothing I can really put my finger on, but it's there."

The medic sighed faintly. "You're always so suspicious of everyone."

"I can't help that, Edwin," Billy replied a faint frown creasing his forehead.

"I know," Lifeline agreed softly. "But not everyone that you meet has an ulterior motive, Billy. Not everyone is out to get you. Sometimes people are just what they seem to be."

"Sometimes," Billy said. "But just because a person's paranoid, doesn't mean people _aren't _out to get them, either. And it seems like some people are willing to go to pretty extravagant lengths to get at me."

"I don't think Charles Foxwell is one of them." Edwin said as he pushed away from the counter.

"Maybe not." Billy sighed. "I don't know, Edwin. I've gotten by for a long time by trusting my instincts, so it's not easy to ignore them."

"Well I think they're wrong in this case." The medic said softly. "All I've gotten from Charles is that he's a slightly . . . eccentric and lonely man who lost someone he cared about in a horribly tragic way."

Again, the Marine sighed. "You're probably right . . ."

"I like talking to him," Edwin said as he softly stepped towards his lover. "And I enjoyed his company today, off color sense of humor not withstanding. I won't ask you to spend time with him if you really don't want to."

"I'm trying to get along with him," Billy replied quietly. "I really am. And if you really want me around when you're hanging out with him, I'm not going to tell you no."

"I know we took this vacation to spend more time with each other," Lifeline said as he reached out and laid his hand on Billy's tattooed forearm. "And I want to do that," his voice was soft. "I just didn't expect to meet someone that we could become friends with. All I ask is just give him and anybody else we might meet a chance."

"I'm trying." The Marine's voice was soft. Edwin smiled a bit at Billy as he gave his arm a slight squeeze.

Billy offered Edwin a very faint smile back, patting Edwin's arm before pulling away slowly. "I'm gonna go get a quick smoke," he said softly. The medic nodded and took a step back from the other man.

Billy leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to Edwin's cheek before walking out towards the back deck, sinking down into one of the chairs there with a sigh.

Lifeline watched the Marine go, the brown-eyed man sighing softly once Billy was outside before turning and heading into the living room, the medic settling down on the couch and reaching for the book he had left on coffee table the day before.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Almost as if Edwin's words to Charles Foxwell had been a prediction, the two men managed to meet up just about every day for a lengthy early morning run along the beach, the pair talking a bit as they jogged. The topics were usually about the Monterey area, the blond man suggesting places that might be of interest to Billy and Edwin, though more often then not, they were things that would appeal more to the medic than his partner. Lifeline enjoyed Charles' company, the blond seeming to be well educated and quite knowledgeable on a variety of subjects.

Foxwell seemed likewise comfortable with Edwin's company, often asking him about different little aspects of his life, and also about his relationship with Billy. His behavior, however, always changed just subtly around Billy, when their paths happened to cross one another, flirting a bit with Edwin and keeping to his off-color humor where Billy was concerned. To the Marine, it almost seemed as if Foxwell were trying to get under his skin; and to make matters worse, Billy also couldn't let that first conversation with the man go. There were too many little details that nagged at him, and he eventually took the opportunity to put in a call to Rebecca while Edwin was out running.

The two friends had spoken briefly for just a little while, Billy explaining that a few odd things had happened, and he had a name he couldn't get out of his head, and would she mind doing a little looking into the name William Birkin? Rebecca agreed, promising to get back to him sometime in the next few days. Having taken even that little bit of action put Billy's mind to ease a little, letting him try to relax enough to continue enjoying his vacation.

Lifeline, with Foxwell in tow, was making his way back to the cottage for some coffee following a run, when the pair happened upon the blue-eyed man, the Marine apparently doing a bit of early surf fishing.

"I think this is the first time I've seen him up and about so early." Foxwell remarked when the Marine came into view.

Edwin chuckled a bit, his gaze immediately settling on his lover. Billy was bare chested and wearing a pair of well worn cut-off jeans, his black cowboy hat perched on his dark head. Unlike Edwin, who lathered himself with high SPF sunscreen, the Marine's skin had been toasted to a warm golden color by the California sun.

The tan, however, drew his scars out in stark contrast. "He looks like he's fought a war completely by himself." The blond remarked, studying Billy quietly from behind his glasses.

"In some ways, he has." The medic said, his tone soft. For his part, the Marine seemed unaware by their presence, even as he reeled in his rod and recast it back into the rolling waves.

The sound of the surf and the sand they were walking on masked their footsteps, and Billy seemed more intent on his fishing than paying attention to his surroundings. Foxwell looked to Edwin and smiled a bit. "I have to admit," he said. "You have good taste."

Lifeline flushed, the medic appearing quite embarrassed as he looked away from Charles. "It wasn't like that," he said softly. "It was more the kind of person that he was, not what he looked liked . . ."

Foxwell chuckled. "You don't seem the type to base it just on looks."

"Obviously he must be the same." Edwin said with a faint chuckle as he looked back up at the blond man.

"Oh, I'm not so sure about that," Foxwell said, smiling back. "You're a handsome man."

"T-Thank you . . ." Once again the man pulled another blush from the medic. "So – so are you."

Foxwell seemed pleased at the remark, and bowed his head a little. "Thank you very much."

From his peripheral, he watched Billy, no end of pleased when he saw the Marine stiffen, knowing their words were carrying to the man in spite of the surf.

"Uh . . . coffee . . ." Edwin said, gesturing towards the cottage.

"Of course," Foxwell said, smiling amiably. "Lead on."

Lifeline and the blond man made their way up the steps to the bungalow, Charles following Edwin into the house.

Billy felt a vein in his temple twitching, and decided he would be better off staying right where he was. The sound of the waves was soothing, and he knew if he went in and saw Foxwell at this stage, he was likely to punch the man first and ask questions later. That was something, he knew, that wouldn't go over very well with his lover, either.

Edwin and Foxwell took their coffee back out on the deck, the two men settling into the pair of wooden lounge chairs that had been set to face the ocean.

"I have a feeling," Foxwell said, after they'd been sitting in silence for a time. "That I'm about to range into potentially personal territory, but what happened to him?" The blond looked from Billy's sun silhouetted form to Edwin. "That's a rather substantial scar on his back, I can see it from here."

"An explosion," the medic replied. "He uh was covering the escape of the rest of his unit and ended up getting the brunt of it." It was a plausible lie, one that Edwin barely stumbled over as he told it.

"It must have been hell to recover from."

Lifeline nodded as he took a sip of coffee. "It was touch and go for a while." He said, his eyes settling on his lover. "Almost a year in the hospital and rehab combined."

"Ahhh . . . somehow this explains the vacation, perhaps?"

Edwin nodded pulled his gaze from the beach. "I think its done him a world of good."

"Get him away from all the work stress for awhile, if nothing else."

"You sound like you know." The medic said as he looked at the blond man, Foxwell's eyes once again hidden behind the dark impenetrable lenses of a pair of sunglasses.

"Not personally, of course," Foxwell said, turning to let his gaze fall on Billy again as he spoke. "But I know poor William's job took quite the toll on him, and he always looked so tired when I'd first see him. But a week out here away from the lab and all the demands of his job, and it was like watching a whole new person."

"I can see its been good for Billy." Edwin smiled a bit. "I only wish I could have dragged him out here sooner."

"I recall you mentioning some arm-twisting involved. He's dedicated to his work, I assume?"

Lifeline nodded. "His unit is very specialized. They've been short-handed for quite awhile . . ."

Foxwell nodded as he listened. "And if they're very specialized, I imagine it's hard to find people with the right . . . qualifications?"

"That and Billy's own expectations too, I suppose. He doesn't go easy on his people." The medic answered. "But then he doesn't go easy on himself either."

"I should imagine so . . . a bit insecure, or something else? Usually I can get something of a read on people, but he's much, much harder to read than most."

"He just takes what he does very seriously," Edwin replied. "I can't really blame him. It's very important - life or death situations. I think he sees his team's performance as a reflection on himself."

"I can only imagine what it's like, being responsible for lives like that."

"It can weigh on a person . . . heavily."

"I suppose it would, especially if something went wrong? I'm sure he'd take that just as personally."

The medic nodded. "He would," he said softly. "He has."

"A very troubled person, then. I suppose that explains his . . . diminished sense of humor."

Edwin couldn't help smiling just a bit. "His is just a little different then your's. A bit more . . . frat boy."

Foxwell chuckled. "I suppose that shouldn't surprise me, either, having seen a bit of his humor the other day."

"That's how I know this vacation has been good for him. He wouldn't ordinarily joke like that around people he didn't really know."

Foxwell nodded thoughtfully at that, taking a sip of his coffee and continuing to watch Billy quietly.

The two men sat in silence for a few minutes, each quietly sipping at their mug. Lifeline's coffee colored gaze drifted towards his lover, Billy still calf-high in the surf, a cigarette between his lips, the medic catching sight of it when the Marine turned a bit as he recast his line into the water. He took another sip from his cup, swallowing slowly as he turned to regard the blond man sitting next to him. "Charles," he started a bit hesitantly. "Can I . . . can I ask you a kind of personal question?"

Foxwell turned to face Edwin, one eyebrow raised. "Go ahead," he replied with a nod.

The medic took a moment. "It's been almost ten years since Raccoon City was destroyed. In all that time, you . . . you never found anyone else?"

"Who else could possibly replace him?" Foxwell asked with a meaningful glance over his glasses at Edwin, his tone quiet as he spoke.

Lifeline blushed a bit and dropped his eyes down to the coffee mug in his hand, embarrassed.

Foxwell reached over, laying his hand over one of Edwin's. "It's alright," he said, leaning in a bit so he didn't have to raise his voice as he spoke. "I suppose you're right. It has been a long time . . . but a man like William is impossible to replace, and no one so far has come close." He smiled a bit and let his hand fall away. "At least, no one who is available."

Billy, who had turned around to re-bait his hook, saw Foxwell lean in toward Edwin, and felt his temper spike. The fact that the man had his hand on Edwin's wasn't helping. Taking a long drag off his cigarette, he forced himself to look away again. _It's not what it looks like, it's not what it looks like . . . it better not be what it fucking looks like._

Edwin felt slightly confused by Charles' last words, finding them to be a bit cryptic. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I – I understand what you mean." His dark eyes once again drifted towards Billy.

Foxwell only sighed. "I hope, for his sake, he appreciates what a good thing he has with you." The blond said, shaking his head.

The remark threw Edwin a bit, leaving him unable to find anything to say in return. Instead, he put the nearly empty mug to his lips and drained it. Foxwell said nothing else, turning the whole of his attention to his coffee again.

The two lapsed into silence once again, stretching out until it started to feel slightly awkward. The quiet was broken however by the ringing of a phone inside the bungalow, the tone resembling the rings on Billy and Edwin's cell phones. "Excuse me," Edwin said as he started to rise to his feet. "I probably should get that."

"Of course," Foxwell said, nodding. He waited until Edwin had gone inside before rising from his seat and heading down toward the Marine where he stood fishing.

By the time Edwin reached to pick up the ringing phone from the counter, it had stopped. With a sigh, the medic flipped it open to check the number, frowning a bit when he didn't recognize it.

Billy caught the movement from the corner of his eye, half-turning to face Foxwell as he headed down. The blond man wasn't smiling now, and the expression on his face sent a shiver down Billy's spine. Still, he reminded himself not to be a complete dick, and waited until the man was close enough before speaking. "Mornin'," he said, trying to keep his tone as friendly as possible.

"Good morning, Lieutenant," came the reply, this delivered with a faint smile. "It would seem the fish aren't biting."

Billy shrugged. "Catching them's just the icing on the cake really. The sport itself is pretty relaxing."

"I would have taken you to be more of a hunter, myself."

"I used to hunt when I was a kid. Didn't have as much time for it, later."

"Except when Uncle Sam was paying your way, perhaps?"

Billy felt another peculiar chill run down his spine. "What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

Checking the voice mail on his phone, Lifeline wandered over to the screen door that led out onto the deck, the medic catching sight of his lover and Charles Foxwell down on the beach, the two apparently in conversation with one another.

"Oh, it was just mentioned that you and your people are very highly specialized. From what I've always been led to understand, that kind of thing usually points to Black Ops of some kind or another."

Billy forced a tight smile to his lips. "You shouldn't believe everything you read or hear. I'd think an author'd know that better than anybody."

A cold chuckle escaped Foxwell. "There's some truth to that, isn't there?"

There were no new messages left on Edwin's voice mail, leaving the medic to conclude that it must have been a wrong number. Closing the phone, he walked back to replace it on the counter before heading back outside.

"Enough for me to let that whole little bit of conversation go without knocking you flat." Billy growled back. "Now, if you got something to say, then say it and go away."

"Just thought I wouldd be neighborly and come down and say hello," came the even-toned reply. "And to warn you that if you're not careful, Lieutenant, I may just spirit away that man of yours . . . "

The Marine turned his head to look at Foxwell, the glare promising a slow, painful death to the man if he didn't leave immediately. Chuckling at that, the blond turned away from Billy and wandered back up toward the porch.

Edwin met Charles as he was coming down the steps to the beach. "Sorry about that," he said to Foxwell. "Must have been a wrong number."

"Perfectly all right," Foxwell replied, smiling a bit.

"Billy having any luck?" Lifeline ventured.

"From the look of it, no," The blond replied, glancing back toward the man. "He seems rather determined, however."

The medic smiled, his gaze following Foxwell's. "Good thing I already an alternate plan for dinner."

"Always prepared, aren't you?" Foxwell chuckled.

"I try to be," Edwin replied. "You never know what life will throw at you."

"There's certainly truth to that," came Foxwell's reply as he adjusted his glasses and smiled. "But I fear I should probably take my leave. I've still a bit of a word count to catch up on, if I'm to meet my deadline. It was a pleasure seeing you, as always."

"You too." Lifeline said. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"I look forward to it." And with that, Charles Foxwell turned from Edwin and started walking back toward his own bungalow.

Edwin watched the blond man for a moment before he started towards Billy. "How're they biting?" He asked, his voice loud enough to be heard over the surf, as he approached his lover.

"I've had better luck," Billy replied, glancing toward Edwin as the medic came close enough for him to reply without raising his own voice.

"Maybe it's just the tide." The medic said as he stopped a few feet away, not wanting to get his running shoes drenched in the surf.

"Maybe," Billy agreed with a soft sound, reeling in his line and shaking his head. "Maybe I'll take a stab at it again later."

"We can come back down together."

That brought a smile to Billy's face. "Sounds like a plan," he said with a nod. The medic smiled in return, his brown eyes lingering on the Marine. "Ready to head inside?" Billy asked quietly. Edwin nodded, the two men falling into step as they made their way back up to the bungalow.

Billy was quiet as they went, leaving his fishing gear near the back door, intending to either bring it in when it was drier, or have it handy when they went down to the water again later. Lifeline grabbed the coffee mugs that he and Foxwell had been drinking from as they passed across the deck, carrying them inside and leaving them in the sink.

Billy brushed the clinging sand off his legs as best he could before stepping inside, moving into the bathroom to take a quick shower to rinse away the last of the sand and debris clinging to him, and change into drier clothing, choosing another pair of cut-off jeans, these newer than the others, and a sleeveless t-shirt. Changed, and comfortable, he went looking for Edwin.

Lifeline was ensconced on the couch in the living room, his shoes and socks off, the medic still clad in the t-shirt and shorts he had worn to jog in. He was sitting cross-legged, a copy of the previous day's local paper spread out on his lap.

Billy thought briefly about just leaving his lover like that, the medic looking quite content. But he found he couldn't, Foxwell's parting remark to him still touching against what was probably the rawest nerve the Marine had. Moving over to the couch, he perched on the arm of it, and slid an arm around the other man.

Edwin glanced up at the blue-eyed man briefly, giving Billy a small smile before turning his attention back to the paper, the medic leaning a bit against his lover. Billy smiled at that, tilting his head down to let it rest against Edwin's.

"What do you want to do today?" Lifeline asked after a few minutes. "Not sure," Billy answered quietly. "Was kinda hoping you had an idea."

"Charles was telling me about this winery out past Big Sur," the medic offered up. "He said it was really nice."

"A winery, huh?" Billy smiled a bit, trying to will the more paranoid part of his mind to quiet, not liking the sick little feeling the man's name kept making settle in the pit of his stomach. "That might be interesting."

"It was originally a monastery back in the wild west days supposedly. Very old world Spanish architecture."

"Sounds like a plan. How far is it from here?"

Edwin thought. "Maybe about two and a half hours I think he said."

"That's not too bad," Billy replied thoughtfully, nodding. "You wanna go?"

"It was just an idea," the medic said. "I know it's not exactly your kind of thing."

"Not really, but I don't mind. I've never been to a winery before."

"Me either. I just thought it sounded nice. Charles' friend William liked it a lot I guess." Edwin said softly.

"That right?"

"That's probably why he mentioned it to me," the medic answered. "I guess the two of us had similar interests and tastes."

"I . . . know I'm gonna sound paranoid as hell, Edwin, but humor me, please," Billy murmured. "You sure . . . that maybe he's not developing more of an interest in you than just a friendship?"

Lifeline tilted his head a bit, looking up at the Marine. "Where would you get an idea like that?"

"Just . . . I dunno, he just always seems to get so close to you, flirting and crap like that. And frankly, when you're not around, he's a downright prick to me."

The medic sighed and shook his head as he pulled away from the other man, sitting up straight. "Didn't we already have this conversation?"

"I know, I know," Billy said, holding up his hands and backing up a little from the medic. "I just . . . you know what? Forget it. Forget I said anything."

"No," Edwin said with a slight shake of his dark head. "Obviously there's something going on here, Billy; and it's not just paranoia. Now you're jealous of him."

Billy almost denied it, but the words died on his lips. "Well, how the hell do you expect me to react when the guy keeps baiting me?" He asked. "Look, this isn't_ just_ jealousy, all right? He's as much as told me he wouldn't have a problem trying to steal you from me."

"That's ridiculous," the medic said as he pushed the paper to the side and unfolded his legs. "He was probably just joking with you, and as usual, you took it the wrong way."

"He didn't sound like he was kidding when he said it."

"Maybe because you won't give up the notion that he's out to get you."

"Not out to get _me_, last I checked. I don't interest him."

Edwin rose to his feet. "I can't believe this," he said as he raked his hand through his dark hair. "You're jealous because I've become friends with Charles; and now you've got this crazy notion that he's going to take me away."

"Crazy?" Billy repeated. "So now I'm crazy?"

The medic let out a weary sigh and squeezed his eyes closed for a moment. "No, you're not crazy Billy," he said softly. "But being suspicious and paranoid all the time isn't exactly healthy either."

"You make it sound like I've got no reason for it sometimes," the Marine murmured, turning away from the medic as he tried to rein in his temper again.

"There's a time and a place for everything Billy. Sometimes you just have to trust people and take them at face value."

Billy shook his head. "You're too trusting sometimes, I think," he said. "And I just can't be like that."

"If I wasn't, you and I wouldn't even be here talking about this right now, would we?"

Those words stung, and Billy flinched as if Edwin had struck him physically.

Several long silent minutes passed between them. "Maybe all this time together wasn't such a good idea after all." Edwin said, his voice barely more than a whisper as he moved past Billy and towards the bedroom, softly closing the door once he was inside.

Swearing a blue streak, Billy made his way out onto the back porch, closing the door behind him just as quietly as he left. After making sure he had his key on-hand to get back in, he decided that a long walk sounded like a good idea.

* * *

Rebecca Chambers leaned back in her chair, pinched the bridge of her nose, and sighed. She had spent most of the day browsing over emails sent to her by Bruce McGivern, whom she had enlisted in helping her raid the STRATCOM archives for information on William Birkin and Charles Foxwell. Of the two, Birkin had been infinitely easier to find information on. STRATCOM had almost a full dossier for the man, although his ties to Umbrella weren't confirmed. He was a virologist, had been working for Umbrella Pharmaceuticals for many years, mostly in their research and development department. There were rumors he had been a member of the White Umbrella faction, but those were inconclusive, and likely to remain so, as it seemed he had died in Raccoon City. The only thing that jumped out at her was a notation somewhere that he'd had some kind of tie to Albert Wesker, a name that still sent a shiver down her spine.

Of Foxwell, she could find nothing at all, and that didn't sit well with her.

At first, she almost left it at that, intent on calling Billy and telling him what she had found, which hadn't been much. But there had been something in his voice when they had spoken, a tone Rebecca knew well. He'd had a gut instinct about something, but couldn't act without proof.

Well, she thought, _if at first you don't succeed . . . _ Picking up the phone, she glanced at the clock. It was late where she was, but not so much so in Utah, and she dialed Mainframe's workstation number. _If he's not there, I'll call the cell . . ._

Leaning back in his chair, his feet propped up on the console, Mainframe glanced up from a copy of _Maxim_ magazine, his eyes going to the LCD monitor across from him, watching a series of seemingly random letters and numbers scroll across the screen. It was mid-evening, the computer specialist alone in the central IT hub of Joe Headquarters. Since things had been quiet for most of the day, Mainframe had decided to implement one of the regular security programs that he had designed, letting it run through the vast network that supported the base, looking for possible security breaches and attempted hacks.

Mainframe had just turned his attention back to the magazine, when the phone on the desk behind him began to ring. Pushing off the console with his feet, in an obvious practiced move, the computer tech sent his chair rolling backwards towards the desk. The back of the chair lightly bumped against the edge of the desk as it came to a stop. Without looking, Mainframe reached back and picked up the handset on the phone and brought up to his ear.

"Mainframe."

"Hi, it's me," Rebecca said. "You busy?"

A smile curled Mainframe's lips at the sound of the female voice on the other end of the phone. "Well hey there," he said as he turned the chair around and set the magazine down on the desk. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Little business, little pleasure," Rebecca said, unable to help but smile at how the tone of the man's voice always seemed to brighten when he talked to her. She leaned back in her own chair. "How've you been?"

"Truthfully? Bored stiff." The computer specialist replied. "But it looks like things are about to improve." Mainframe leaned back in his chair once again. "How're things in Atlanta?"

"About the same. It's been unusually quiet, and that's got us a little worried, but we're trying to enjoy the peace while we can." Rebecca chuckled. "I'm hoping to be able to swing another visit out there soon, though."

"That'd be cool," Mainframe said. "It's been a while since you've been out here."

"Too long," Rebecca agreed, nodding although she knew he couldn't see her.

"So what can I do you for?"

"I've got a couple names I'm trying to find information on, but my resources are kind of limited. I was hoping maybe I could get you to help me out?"

"Sure thing." Mainframe responded as he reached over for a pen. "What have you got?"

"I need anything you can find on William Birkin and Charles Foxwell. Of the two, Foxwell seems to be the harder one to find."

The tech scrawled the names in the margin of the magazine article he had been reading, double checking the spellings with Rebecca. "Is this official or off the record?"

"I'd prefer it be kept off the record, if possible, please."

Mainframe's eyebrow rose slightly. "Got it. So how soon do you need this?"

"As soon as you can get it."

"I'll get right on it," the computer specialist said as he dropped the pen back down on the blotter covering the desktop.

"I appreciate this," Rebecca said. "And I owe you one, the next time I'm in town."

Mainframe smiled. "I'll be sure to collect." His tone was slightly teasing.

Rebecca blushed in spite of herself, grateful beyond imagining he wasn't asking her too many questions about just why she needed the information. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Least I can do for my favorite lady."

"Just give me a call when you've got something? Doesn't matter when, day or night."

"Will do," Mainframe said with an unseen nod of his head. "So," he said after a few quiet moments. "Now that we've gotten the business part of your call out of the way, who don't we move on to the other . . ."

"Gladly," Rebecca said, rising from the chair at the desk she kept her laptop on, and moving over to stretch out on her couch instead.

Swinging his legs up on the desktop, a small smile still playing on his lips, Mainframe settled back in his chair a bit as the two began to chat about less pressing matters.

* * *

Billy spent most of the day away from the bungalow, walking along the stretch of private beach. While he had been tempted by the idea of taking the rental car into Monterey, he had decided against it; and as the sun came near to setting, he had slipped into the house long enough to grab a couple blankets, a couple beers, and a sandwich, before making his way outside, intent on the private little cove he had found before. It meant that Edwin would likely be able to find him if an emergency came up, but it would let the Marine otherwise keep out of sight for a little longer, until tempers had cooled.

Edwin meanwhile spent the majority of the day behind the closed door of the bedroom, the medic alternating between sitting on the bed and pacing the small room. It was rare for him to lose his temper. He could count on one hand the number of times he had done so in the past five years; and when he stopped to think about it, almost every single one of them had been related to Billy Coen.

Since he and Billy had gotten together, Lifeline had pretty much forgone all his other friends and acquaintances in order to spend what free time he might have with the Marine. The two of them did occasionally go out with their fellow Joes for a drink or two, but those times had become fewer and farther in between. It wasn't something that either one of them had consciously done, it was more due to the fact that their duties left them with little time to spend together, which meant that they took advantage of every opportunity that presented itself to be with one another. That was why the medic couldn't help but think that the majority of Billy's dislike for Charles Foxwell was the result of jealousy - that the Marine was jealous of the fact that Edwin had met someone whose friendly company he enjoyed. Still, Lifeline couldn't help feeling a little bit guilty. This vacation would have been the longest amount of time that the two of them had spent together since they had first met, and it had taken a lot of wheedling on Edwin's part to get Billy to agree to even come. _It's no wonder,_ he thought to himself, _this time was supposed to be for us, and I've been spending it with Charles._

Lying on the blankets he had brought, the sandwich long gone and the last bottle of beer half-empty, Billy stared up at the darkening sky and tried to sort himself out. It wasn't uncommon for he and Edwin to disagree on things. They were such different personalities, it was an inevitable thing. But it was rare for their disagreements to explode into full-blown arguments, and it didn't surprise Billy that they hurt like a bitch when they did. He felt bad for pushing Edwin about Foxwell, however much he didn't like the man.

It wasn't Edwin's fault the other man was taking such an interest in him, and it shouldn't have surprised him that Edwin was all but clueless when it came to the flirting. And yeah, he had been a little paranoid, thinking the medic would actually leave him. Sighing, Billy downed the last of his beer and then pillowed his head on his arm. Their vacation hadn't gone as well as he'd hoped, and if Edwin was still totally pissed at him in the morning, he would have the medic drive him into town so he could rent a vehicle of his own, and either stop and visit his son, or just head home. He still had plenty of vacation time left, and the impromptu road trip would still put him home with plenty of time to spare.

Either way, he planned to apologize, at least.

The air grew colder and Billy slipped under the blanket, rolling himself up in it as he tried to get comfortable, trusting the sound of the ocean and the alcohol in his bloodstream would eventually send him to sleep.

Curled up on the couch, Edwin tried to read but he just couldn't focus enough to do so, eventually giving up and leaving the book on the coffee table along with his glasses. He had heard someone moving around inside the bungalow earlier, the medic peeking out to see Billy pass through the living room. He had wanted to say something to the Marine then, though he wasn't sure what and so he had retreated back into the bedroom. But as night fell, he had begun to worry when his lover didn't return. A quick look out the living room window revealed that their rented SUV was still parked out front which meant that wherever Billy had gone, he had more than likely done so on foot. As it got later, Lifeline grew concerned when Billy did not return; and even more so when he discovered the Marine's cell phone on the counter in the kitchen where he had left it earlier in the day.

Settled on the couch, his eyes fixated on the coffee table in front of him without really seeing it, Edwin's dark brown eyes eventually fluttered closed, the medic falling into a restless sleep.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

His dark head pillowed on his arm, Edwin was curled up on the end of the couch, one leg tucked under him and the other hanging over the side and down to the floor. It had been well past midnight when he had fallen into a restless sleep, the medic waking several times thinking that he had heard footsteps or one of the doors opening. Each time he rose from the couch and softly padded through the bungalow looking for Billy, only to find that he was still alone. Worry ate at Lifeline, and more than once he was tempted to leave and go look for the Marine, but he didn't want to leave the house in case Billy came back while he was gone.

Billy hadn't yet come back, however, and so Edwin was in the house alone when Charles Foxwell came walking up, having missed the medic during their usual morning run, and knocked on the door.

It only took a few moments for the sound to wake Lifeline, the medic immediately scrambling to his feet and padding towards the front door, rubbing at his dark eyes as he did so. Edwin had not locked the door the night before just in case Billy returned and so he reached for the knob and opened the door.

When the door opened, and Foxwell saw Edwin's rumpled and ill-rested state, he raised an eyebrow. "You look terrible, Edwin," He said softly, his tone nothing but sympathetic. "What on earth happened?"

The medic blinked his brown eyes against the bright morning sunshine, Lifeline having left his glasses on the coffee table in his haste to answer the door. "Ch-Charles . . ."

"Yes. I was worried when I didn't see you this morning," the man said. "Now that I've seen you, I'm afraid my concern hasn't diminished."

"I – I'm sorry." Edwin said softly, unable to mask the faint look of disappointment on his face as he had opened the door.

"It's all right," Foxwell's tone dropped a little more still. "What happened, Edwin? You don't look like you've slept a wink all night."

The medic dropped his eyes. "Billy's been gone all night," he murmured after a few moments. "I . . . I thought maybe it was him at the door . . ."

"Gone? Your vehicle is still outside . . . I'm sure he didn't go far . . . what happened?"

Edwin sighed softly before pulling the door open a bit more for the big blond "We had argument."

"Must have been quite the argument," Foxwell replied, slipping into the house.

Lifeline closed the door behind the other man. "It was my fault."

"Now, I'm sure that's not so," Foxwell said.

"I haven't seen him since yesterday evening." The medic moved past Charles and farther into the living room to retrieve his glasses.

"I'm sure he's all right. Perhaps he just went somewhere to let his temper cool?"

"Where could he go?" Edwin asked as he settled the wire frames on his face. "On foot?"

"I'm sure there are small coves and things all along this beach if you look hard enough." Charles looked thoughtful. "Although, if he's slept as badly as you have, I doubt he's going to be in a personable mood when he returns."

"If he comes back." The medic murmured.

"Now now, what makes you think he wouldn't come back?"

Edwin ran his hand through his dark rumpled hair. "We've had disagreements before," he said. "But not like this."

"I'm sure he wouldn't just abandon you like that."

"I'm just so afraid that something has happened to him."

"What could possibly happen to him out here?" Charles said, moving closer to the medic. "Most likely he's found himself somewhere to hole up and sulk, and he'll wander home when he's ready."

Lifeline looked at the blond man, Foxwell's words hitting close to what was probably the truth, Billy's past behavior after their occasional disagreements not that much different. Back in Cedar City, the Marine would often retreat to the small private balcony of their condo to cool down or drive out into the desert for a bit.

Foxwell offered a faint smile. "He just seems like the type to me," he said. "A sharp temper, doesn't like to use it on loved ones." The man paused, and considered something. "Why don't you come into town with me?" He asked. "At least for breakfast? It'll give him a chance to come home, shower, and just generally make himself feel more human before you see each other."

"I don't know . . ."

"We won't be gone long," the blond man promised. "And if he's not back by the time we are, I'll help you go look for him."

Edwin wavered for a few moments before nodding his assent. "As long as we're not gone too long."

"An hour at the absolute outside," Foxwell promised.

The medic nodded his dark head once again. _Although going with Charles will probably just start things up again,_ he thought to himself.

"Now, why don't you go get changed into something a bit less rumpled, and we'll get going?"

Lifeline looked at the blond man for a moment. "Just give me a few minutes," he said finally before starting towards the bedroom.

"Of course," Foxwell said with a nod, watching Edwin quietly as he went.

The medic's bare feet were silent as he padded across the floor and disappeared into the bedroom, quietly shutting the door behind himself.

Once the door was closed, Foxwell moved quietly through the bungalow, until he caught sight of two cell phones sitting out. He walked over to them, glancing briefly over his shoulder before examining each. They were different models, and it only took a moment for him to recognize Edwin's, the medic often carrying the device with him when they would jog together. Picking up the phone and flipping it over, he carefully removed the battery, and reached into his pocket. Removing a small device, one that looked suspiciously like one of those "reception booster" chips, Foxwell affixed it to the body of the phone and slipped the battery back into place, powering up the phone again. Although it looked harmless enough, the device guaranteed that Edwin wouldn't receive any . . . inconvenient calls.

That finished, the blond flipped through the address book until he found Billy's cell number, and committed it to memory. Then he put the phone back, and headed back into the living room area to wait for the medic.

While he changed his clothes, Edwin still wasn't entirely comfortable with going to breakfast with Foxwell, especially since the blond man had been the focus of the argument that he and Billy had had the day before. But Charles had seemed to be genuinely concerned not only about Edwin, but also the Marine; and if Billy had still not returned by the time they got back, it would be good to have someone else looking for him as well. Lifeline did what he could to tame his hair down before he made his way back out into the living room, the medic strapping on his Joe-issued wrist communicator as he did so. The device looked deceptively like a regular wristwatch, and Edwin made sure that it was either always in reach or on his wrist.

Foxwell smiled a little when Edwin walked back out into the living room. "Almost ready?" he asked.

"Just let me grab my phone and my keys," the medic answered as he moved past the blond man and into the kitchen. Tucking his house keys into his pocket, Edwin clipped the cell phone to the waistband of the khaki cargo shorts he was wearing.

Once Edwin had everything, Foxwell stepped out onto the back patio, looking around to assure himself no one else was coming toward the bungalow. Lifeline followed the big blond, the medic pausing to close the back door over. As he turned around, his dark eyes scanned the deck and the bit of beach that he could see beyond it, his face falling a bit to find them empty.

Charles turned back to Edwin in time to see the expression, and reached out, patting the medic's shoulder. "I'm sure everything will be fine," he said. Lifeline nodded mutely, though he didn't look to reassured.

Foxwell gave Edwin's shoulder a little squeeze and stepped off the porch, heading back for his own bungalow, and the vehicle parked there.

* * *

Mainframe punched in a number he knew by heart, the handset of the phone cradled against his shoulder as he reached over to the printer to retrieve the few sheets of information that he had printed out. The computer tech yawned as the line began to ring, the dark-haired man having spent the better part of the evening digging up what he could on the pair of names that Rebecca Chambers had given him after the two had eventually finished talking. The line rang again as he reached over for his coffee cup.

The sound of her phone ringing drew Rebecca from the bedroom, where she'd been changing for bed, and she hastened her steps. Plucking up the phone and smoothing down her nightgown, she spoke. "Hello?"

"Did I wake you up, Sleeping Beauty?"

"Not a chance, Prince Charming," Rebecca replied, grinning. "Caught me getting ready for bed, but I wasn't asleep yet."

"You . . . bed . . . makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside." Mainframe said smoothly, a grin lighting up his face.

Blushing, Rebecca couldn't help but giggle some. "So what's up?"

"Other then my libido?" He joked. "I've got the info on those two names you gave me earlier."

Rebecca was grateful for the phone; it kept Mainframe from seeing her blush as it darkened. "What did you find?" She asked.

The computer specialist settled back in his chair. "Birkin worked for Umbrella. He was a virologist who worked at the facility in Raccoon City. Wife and kid, a daughter. The wife worked for Umbrella too."

"Just the legit end of things, or were they part of White Umbrella?" Rebecca walked over to her desk chair and sank down into it.

Mainframe leafed through the pages he had printed out. "They were both implicated as White Umbrella by some of the informants that came forward after the destruction of Raccoon City and the government crackdown on Umbrella," he answered. "Supposedly the feds had some documentation to corroborate it, but it was moot since they were both reported dead after the incident."

"Makes sense," Rebecca said, nodding. "What about Foxwell?"

The computer tech flipped through the papers once again. "The guy is a clean slate."

"Really? Nothing about any ties to Birkin, or anything else?"

"Nothing." Mainframe replied with a shake of his head. "I couldn't even dig up an employment record on him."

"That's very, very strange." Rebecca tilted her head to the side slightly. "So what did you find on him?"

"Social security number, passport – U.S. by the way . . . driver's license . . . Nothing much more than that."

"Picture?"

"Yeah," the tech responded. "On the driver's license."

"Send it my way?" Rebecca asked. "I'm curious to see what this guy looks like." She hesitated a moment before going on. "This guy's got Billy tense, and he's not sure why. I'm worried his paranoia's acting up again."

"Doing favors for Devil Dog, huh?"

"He wanted it kept low key, just in case it wasn't anything important," Rebecca replied. "I guess he thought I'd have access to more information than I do."

"I'm e-mailing the driver's license right now." Mainframe pressed the send button even before he finished speaking. "Creepy looking guy." He added a couple beats later.

Rebecca leaned forward, opening up her email program and opening the newest email. It didn't take long for the picture to load and when it did, there was nothing but silence on her end, a cold chill sweeping down her spine.

The computer tech took a sip of coffee. "Maybe that's what got Devil Dog's hackles up. The guy could weird me out."

"You're . . . you're absolutely certain this is the right picture?" Rebecca couldn't force her voice up past a whisper.

"Cold looking blond guy? Looks like an ice man? Yeah, that's him."

"B-Blaine . . . we have to get a hold of Billy . . . we have to get a hold of Billy _right now_ . . ." It was an effort to talk, to force her lips to form the words she needed to say. Although she had never heard the name Charles Foxwell before Billy had called her, she knew that picture well.

Albert Wesker had never stopped haunting her nightmares.

* * *

Billy Coen felt like absolute hell.

This particular state didn't surprise the Marine, since he'd just spent a mostly sleepless night outside. Not just in his little cove, either. His paranoia had gotten the better of him during the night, and he'd moved from the beach to the back porch. That hadn't improved his sleep any, Billy not moving much past a doze. The approach of dawn had seen him off again, where he returned to the little hidden spot along the beach. The plan, he decided, was to wait until he heard Edwin pass by on his morning run, then head back to the bungalow to shower and change, and hopefully be feeling more like himself by the time his lover came home.

Billy didn't want to fight with Edwin again, he just wanted to apologize. He felt like an asshole. He _had _been acting like a paranoid nut case where Foxwell was concerned, and while it really was a gut instinct, he couldn't help but wonder if Edwin was right, if his own paranoia _was _affecting his judgment.

However, Edwin hadn't gone on his run that day. The departure in the routine was enough to concern the Marine, who knew his lover's routines were almost as strict as his own. So he had gathered his things, and headed back toward the bungalow. The curtains were still closed, which made him wonder if Edwin was still asleep. A quick circuit of the bungalow told the Marine that their rental vehicle was still in the driveway. He checked the back door, and found it locked. Another abnormality, but one Billy brushed off. Likely Edwin was still asleep, or at least still in the bedroom; no reason to panic.

Trying to push down the lingering uneasiness, Billy let himself into the bungalow. There was a loud buzzing sound coming from the kitchen, the only noise in the house, and Billy frowned. _What in the hell?_ he thought, moving inside and dropping the gathered blanket just inside the door as he moved toward the noise.

It was his cellphone, still set to vibrate instead of ring, buzzing as it vibrated against the counter. He had just managed to pluck up the device just as it had stopped vibrating. A quick check of the caller ID told him the number was Rebecca Chambers'. Watching the screen for a few moments longer told him this wasn't the first time that Rebecca had called. In fact, there were several missed calls, and a check of the call log indicated most of them had come ten to fifteen minutes apart, more frequently in the last half hour.

Billy started to check his voice mail when something else caught his eye. Edwin's phone was missing, and so were his keys, the medic having gotten into the habit of leaving them on the counter. The meaning was clear enough; the medic had gone out. And since the car was still in the driveway, that didn't speak well. _I'd bet almost anything he's out with Foxwell again,_ the Marine thought, unable to help the short-lived venom in the thought before it faded into dull guilt and he sighed. He was about to set the phone back down again when it went off in his hand, startling him and making him drop it. Billy managed to catch the phone before it hit the floor, and put it to his ear. "Coen here."

"Thank god! Billy, where the hell have you been? I've been trying to get a hold of you!"

"I'd rather not talk about it, Becca," Billy replied.

"Well, whatever. But listen, you need to get the hell away from Foxwell . . . as quick as you can."

"Why, what's up?" Rebecca's frantic tone made Billy's heart clench.

"His name isn't Foxwell. His real name is Albert Wesker!" Rebecca hissed back. "He's Wesker . . . Billy, I've told you about him and he's serious bad news. He looks human, but he's a bio-weapon. A dangerous one. We don't know anything about him, save that he's been altered somehow."

Billy felt all the blood drain from his face at that, and he leaned heavily against the counter. "Goddamn it, I knew it . . ."

"Billy, you and Edwin have to get out of there. If he's around, then he's up to something."

"Understood. I'll get up with Edwin and get back to you ASAP."

"All right."

Without waiting for another word, Billy snapped the phone shut, already running for Foxwell's bungalow. _Please let them be there . . . _ Billy thought, unable to shut out the notion that he was too late. When he reached the other beach house, he found it empty, the doors locked, and no car in the driveway. _All right, don't panic . . . this is not the time to panic . . . _ Billy flipped open his phone again, dialing Edwin's cell number.

No answer.

The Marine frowned and redialed the number. This time the call got through, but went immediately to Edwin's voice mail. Again, Billy tried to tell himself not to panic. Maybe Edwin was just still mad at him, and had gone into town . . . but no, Billy had seen their rented vehicle in the drive. Which meant he was probably out with Foxwell . . . no, _Wesker_.

And that meant Edwin might be in a hell of a lot of danger.

* * *

Albert Wesker couldn't help but feel an almost overwhelming sense of triumph as he drove, watching Steen from the corner of his eye. It had been almost too easy to trick the medic into coming with him, although that had, so far, been the easiest part of his own plans.

While he had planned from the beginning to use Steen as a bit of leverage to control Coen, and had planned on dividing them if he could, their fight and separation had been too good an opportunity to waste. It had pushed his own timetable considerably, but it hadn't been hard to adjust for that. And it didn't diminish that feeling of triumph in the least.

"I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me a slight divergence from breakfast," Wesker murmured as he turned onto a side road. "I have a brief stop I need to make first."

Edwin looked up at the blond man, the medic looking like he was going to protest. "As long as its brief," he said however. "I don't want to be gone too long."

"It won't take long at all," came the soft-spoken promise.

The area they were driving into was one of the quieter parts of town, full of rundown homes and abandoned businesses. Wesker scanned their surroundings intently, before he found the place he was looking for, and caught sight of his men waiting casually near their van. _Right on time,_ Wesker thought.

Lifeline had not really been paying attention to their surroundings, the dark-haired man checking his phone periodically for messages even though it had not rung. It was the slight jar of Foxwell's vehicle hitting a pothole in the road that caused Edwin to look up and out the window, his brow furrowing a bit as he took in the dilapidated looking area. The medic looked over at the blond man. "Are you sure you didn't take a wrong turn, Charles?"

"Quite," came the reply, as Wesker turned into the lot, his car, the van, and a few other vehicles the only things around.

Edwin caught sight of a group of black clad men as Foxwell pulled into what looked like a parking lot situated between two rusting metal warehouse-type buildings, his expression becoming one of puzzlement. Foxwell pulled the car up near the van, putting the vehicle in park and killing the engine.

The medic's dark eyes flicked once again towards the cluster of men, a feeling of uneasiness begin to grow. They were all dressed identically from head to toe in black, including dark sunglasses, similar to those worn by Charles Foxwell.

"Fans of yours?" Edwin asked the blond man.

The chuckle that escaped the man was a cold one. "Something like that," he said, slipping the key from the ignition and opening the door. Lifeline frowned as he watched Foxwell exit the vehicle, hoping that whatever it was that had brought the other man there would be quickly concluded.

Wesker walked over to the group of men, where they spoke for a few moments, before the blond turned, motioning for Edwin to join him.

The medic sighed a bit in frustration, the pair of them already having been gone longer than Foxwell had promised. Unclipping his seatbelt, Edwin opened the door and slid out. "Charles, I really need to be getting back . . ." he started as he made his way towards the big blond and the small cluster of men.

Once he reached Foxwell, the group of men shifted slightly, circling the medic without speaking. "I'm afraid there's been something of a change in plans," Wesker said, then looked to his men. "Take him."

_Wha . . .?_ Edwin only had a moment's surprise before he found himself quickly surrounded, the circle of black-clad men closing in on him. The medic spun around, his dark eyes taking in the scope of his predicament. Though he was technically classified as a non-combatant when it came to field assignments, Lifeline had gone through a lot of the same training as his fellow Joes; and though he disliked violence, he did know how to defend himself and others if the need ever arose.

Sighting a slight opening, the medic made a dash for it. Using his size and strength, he shouldered past one of his would-be captors, throwing the man back enough so that he was able to slip past him.

Wesker made no move, two of his men darting forward toward the medic while a third caught the man Edwin had thrown. Wesker watched them for a moment, ready to step in if his subordinates couldn't handle Steen.

A black-clad form loomed up in front of Lifeline, reaching for him. Catching the man's arm, Edwin levered him up and over his shoulder. The medic had taken up Akido when he had been a teenager; and while he didn't regularly practice as he once had, his skills were still honed enough that the throw had been nearly effortless. A grunt escaped from the thrown man as he hit the pavement and Lifeline took off running.

"So, the meek one finally shows his colors . . ." Wesker murmured to himself, and darted after Lifeline, covering the distance between them effortlessly and cutting the medic off. "I was a fool to underestimate you."

Edwin skidded to halt, several feet out of the blond man's reach. "What's going on? Who are you?"

"Forgotten me already? I'm crushed." There was a taunting note in Wesker's voice, his smile not at all pleasant.

The medic's dark eyes darted from side to side, he could hear Foxwell's men, their booted feet thudding on the pavement. "Charles, what's going on? If this is some kind of joke, it's really not funny."

"This is no joke, I assure you," came the reply. "And for your own sake, I would suggest you come along peacefully."

Edwin caught sight of a black clad form in his peripheral vision, though he kept his gaze on the blond man. The medic was sorely outnumbered, not even taking into consideration that he really had no idea where he was. _Billy was right . . ._ the thought came unbidden, reinforcing Lifeline's intent to escape.

Faking a move to the right, Edwin then darted towards Foxwell hoping that he might be able to get past the other man, as his associates fell for the feint. What he ran into was, essentially, a human brick wall, Wesker's hands clamping down on Edwin's upper arms. "Right into the jaws of the beast, hm?"

The medic struggled in the blonde's hold, trying to get enough leverage to try to throw the other man. Wesker only laughed. "Now now," he said, already starting to force Edwin towards the van. "You don't want to run so far yet, do you? I'd hate for you to miss our guest of honor."

"Look Charles, this isn't funny. What's going on?"

"No joke," Wesker said, handing Edwin over to two of the men. "Put him in the van, and don't lose him this time!" He smiled coldly. "I can't have my perfect bait getting away."

_Bait? Oh my god . . . Billy . . ._

The medic struggled against his captors, trying to twist away and break free. A third man walked up to the first two, jabbing a syringe into Edwin's arm. "Nighty night," the man purred.

Wesker shook his head. "Took you long enough," he growled. "Now let's hurry."

Lifeline hissed as the needle pierced his skin and the pale liquid in the syringe was pumped into him. He continued to struggle as he was dragged over to the van, the side door open and waiting. As he was unceremoniously hoisted up into the dark vehicle, the effects of the sedative that he had been injected with started to hit. By the time the rest of Foxwell's men were loaded up, Edwin was feeling a bit foggy, the medic slowing his struggles.

Wesker climbed into the back of the van with Edwin, and got settled, flipping open his cell phone and dialing in a number. After a moment, he smiled a bit. "Why, hello, Lieutenant," he purred into the mouthpiece. "I was hoping you'd be close by."

Lifeline slowly turned to look at Foxwell, the movement taking a great amount of effort, his body starting to feel heavy. "B-Billy . . ." he tried to call out, his voice slightly slurred from the sedative.

Wesker looked down at Edwin, smiling a bit more by whatever angry reply Billy had made, his voice nothing more than a burst of sound from the phone. "You've been quite careless, Lieutenant." He said. "Didn't I tell you I'd steal Edwin away if you weren't careful?"

The medic tried once more to call out, his lover's name dying on his lips as he slumped back against the side of the van, unconscious.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

_ Didn't I tell you I'd steal Edwin away if you weren't careful?_

Those words echoed around in Billy's head as he hung up the cell phone, Wesker's call long since disconnected, and took a shaky drag from his smoke and began to pace. He didn't have the first idea where to start looking for Edwin, and in fact couldn't get his brain working around the fact that Wesker _had_ Edwin, and was blatantly calling him out. _But why would he do that and not tell me where he's got him?_

Easy enough. He wanted to psych Billy out. _Well he's done that, now what?_

More pacing, apparently, and a few more cigarettes. Then a few frustrated tears before the Marine finally stopped dead in his tracks and took a slow, deep breath. _All right, Coen, stop freaking out and fucking think for a minute . . ._

He couldn't get through to Edwin's cellphone, and he didn't dare try to contact his lover by their Joe communicators, since it didn't seem like Wesker had made the connection that they were both members. That didn't leave him with a lot of options.

Unless . . .

Lifting his arm and flicking on his communicator, Billy adjusted it to catch Mainframe's personal frequency, and spoke. "Mainframe, this is Devil Dog. If there was ever a time I need you to be at your desk, man, this is it."

* * *

The Joe's computer specialist was in fact on his way back to his workstation when he was hailed, Mainframe just nudging open the door to the central IT hub, a cup of coffee in one hand, a small box containing some replacement circuits in the other, a packaged danish from the vending machine between his teeth and a couple of manila folders tucked under his arm. Thus loaded down, he was not able to immediately answer.

When he didn't get an answer, Billy had to fight down the urge to swear, and started pacing again. "C'mon . . . " He grumbled. "You can't have wandered that far off."

Mainframe mumbled something inaudible as he hurried over to his desk to set down his burdens before answering Devil Dog. "I'm right here, man."

"Thank god," it was impossible for Billy to keep the relief out of his tone.

The tech raised his eyebrow. "What's got your undies all in a twist?" He asked as he settled down in his chair and reached for the danish.

"I've got a potential situation. Seriously fucked up, and I need to find Lifeline. Fast."

"He's out on vacation, just like you." Mainframe said, his brows knitting together slightly. _They're roommates_, he thought to himself. _Don't they know what the other one is doing?_

"I know he is. We met up for some beach fishing in California after I visited my son," Billy said, coloring the truth just a little to cover both his ass and his lover's. "But he's gone missing, and I've got a damn good reason to believe he's been kidnapped by somebody working for Umbrella."

The computer specialist dropped the danish package, half opened, on the desk. "Shit." Gone was the casualness that he had initially answered with, Mainframe's tone all professional now. "Have you contacted Duke yet?"

"No, but I want you to put my team on stand by. Just pass the message along to Hutch, she'll take care of the rest. Tell Duke the same thing I just told you. It's a potential situation, but I don't want to bring in anybody else just yet. This has the potential to get stupid and deadly real fast if we do."

"Is this about that Foxwell guy that got Becca all worked up?"

"I'll take that to mean she didn't tell you."

"Not much," Mainframe replied. "I sent her a picture of him and she got kind of freaked out and said she needed to get a hold of you fast and then hung up to try and call you. I guess she got a hold of you?"

"Yeah, she did. She's got a past with this guy. Albert Wesker. Look up the name. I'm sure you'll find him a good read. In the meantime, though, I need you to do one more thing for me."

"Try and locate Lifeline."

"Yeah. The quicker the better."

Mainframe pushed his chair away from the desk, scooting over towards one of the computer consoles nearby. "Where was his last known location?" he asked as he tapped a few keys on the keyboard to bring up the tracking program that connected with the team's wrist communicators.

Billy rattled off the address for the bungalow. "This was the last place I saw him."

"I just needed the general area," the tech said as he tapped a few more keys, typing in "Monterey". "It makes the search quicker." A map of California flicked up on the screen, Mainframe picking out Lifeline's name from a drop down list of the active duty Joes and setting the tracking program to work.

Billy bit his tongue before he could snap at the other man and took a slow breath. "All right . . ."

Silence stretched out, the map on the monitor in front of Mainframe shifting as the program searched out the unique tracking ID programmed into Lifeline's wrist communicator. The map shifted a bit over Monterey before heading slightly east towards the area around Big Sur. "Here we go," the tech said. "I think we got it."

Billy was already moving outside toward the rental vehicle. "Whatcha got?"

"Looks like he's somewhere out near Big Sur." Mainframe replied. "I'll transmit the coordinates to your wrist comm." He tapped a few keys, sending the information to Devil Dog.

"Thanks. Now get on the horn with Hutch and Duke, but don't let them get ahead of me Mainframe, please. I'm dealing with a certified wacko here."

"I'll try," the other man said. "I better dig up whatever I can on this Wesker guy too. I'm sure Duke will want to see it."

"Yeah, he will. I'll shorten the hunt. He was a member of the Raccoon City P.D. S.T.A.R.S. I'll get in touch as soon as I can. Devil Dog out."

Mainframe had his mouth open to say something else when the connection was abruptly cut. With a slight shake of his head, the computer tech scooted his chair over to another console to see what he could find on Albert Wesker.

* * *

Edwin Steen's drug-fogged mind slowly found itself creeping back towards consciousness, the medic's body feeling heavy and his head aching. His brown eyes fluttered open a bit, only to be squeezed shut almost immediately against the bright sunlight. Lifeline was lying on his side, outside judging by the warmth and brightness of the sun. After several moments he tried to move, unable to do more than squirm on the ground, his arms pinned behind his back, his wrists bound.

"I wouldn't move around too much," came a familiar, smooth voice to Edwin's left. "You won't be able to get loose."

Lifeline's dark eyes slowly opened once again, the medic letting them adjust to the light. From his vantage point on the ground, he could see very little, only that he was in a clearing of some kind, the area ringed by trees and scrub, the ground bare and rocky. Swallowing, he tried to speak, his tongue feeling thick and overly large. "W-W . . . Why?" he managed to croak out.

"Because, Mister Steen, I've never had the opportunity to deal with another bio-weapon such as myself. It should be very interesting."

_ Bio-weapon . . .?_

"He . . . Billy . . . he's not . . ." the medic's mind was still a bit hazy and it was hard for him to think clearly. ". . . not a bio-weapon."

"More's the pity for him, then."

Edwin's coffee-colored eyes slid closed. "What – what are you going to do with me?" He asked after a few minutes..

"As long as Coen comes along peacefully, very likely nothing at all."

_ Right . . . _the medic said to himself, not believing Foxwell for a second.

"Now, as for my employers," Wesker went on. "I can't speak for them."

"Cobra . . ." the word left Edwin's lips before he even realized it.

"Are they? I didn't bother to ask," Wesker murmured, then looked at Edwin over the tops of his glasses. "Interesting . . ."

Lifeline's spirits sank even more, the medic falling quiet.

"But I suppose I've let him stew over it long enough," Wesker said, flipping open his phone. "I probably should let the good Lieutenant in on where our little party's going to take place."

"He won't come," Edwin said quietly.

"You really think so?"

The medic wished he could say it was true, but he knew Billy too well. The Marine would come rushing in recklessly with guns blazing and no heed for his own safety.

Bringing the phone back up to his ear, Wesker smiled coldly. "Good afternoon, Lieutenant," he said, then fell silent, Billy's voice again an angry blare from the phone. "Now now, you sound a bit testy. There's no need for hostility. I haven't harmed a hair on his head, and he's right here with me."

Edwin lifted his head. "Billy! Don't!" he called out. "He's working for Cobra, its a trap!"

"Hm?" Wesker said, raising an eyebrow at something being said to him. "Oh yes, yes, he's right here, just as I said. That would be him you heard . . . What? . . . You'll see him soon enough, I imagine. Now listen to me very carefully." And with that, the blond gave Billy very specific directions on how to reach the quarry.

While Wesker spoke, Lifeline continued to yell out, imploring Billy not to come until one of Wesker's men sauntered over and gave the medic a kick to his gut, knocking the air from Edwin's lungs and leaving him gasping on the ground.

Wesker chuckled. "Don't rough him up too much," he said, and snapped the phone shut. Edwin was still lying on the ground, trying to get his breath as he fought back an urge to be sick.

"He won't be long, gentlemen," Wesker said to his men. "But no one gets involved until I tell you to, understood? My employers will take him dead, but not full of bullet holes."

_ Oh god . . . Billy . . . no . . . _ Tears welled up in the medic's dark eyes as he laid there quietly, his head bowed.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Billy glanced at the radio's digital clock; it had been about forty-five minutes since he had talked to Mainframe. Which meant Hutch and the rest of his team would be mobilized by now, and very likely Duke had been apprised of the situation. As he drove, Billy prayed no one would jump the gun and try to get involved too early. If there was one thing Billy remembered from Rebecca's recollections of Wesker was that the man was ruthless. She had also mentioned that he was a damn good actor when he chose to be, and that no one had suspected him during the Spencer Mansion incident until the very end.

Having actually seen Wesker at work, Billy had no trouble at all believing that every word of it was true. _And we both got suckered in,_ he thought. _We both walked right into his trap._

Now here he was, about to knowingly walk into another one. But what choice did he have? He couldn't leave Edwin with Wesker, nor could he have left anyone else in good conscience. He know it wouldn't be above Wesker to commit cold blooded murder, not after sending two of his own S.T.A.R.S. teams into the Spencer Mansion to be butchered as he had. Billy couldn't stand the idea that anyone else was in danger because of their association with him.

Billy brought the rental to a stop about a quarter of a mile away from the quarry that he had been directed to, checking his Magnum and knife before climbing out of the vehicle. Without the benefit of air conditioning, the heat of the day was already starting to make itself known, and Billy pulled his hat down a little more to shield his eyes from the glare his sunglasses couldn't quite block.

The quarry wasn't a big one, and it hadn't been hard for Billy to find. There was something akin to relief in the Marine's mind when he realized the directions Wesker had given him and the coordinates that Mainframe had sent matched. It meant that the tracker and his lover weren't far from each other, at least. He made a circuit of the outside fence, keeping carefully out of sight. By the end of his recon around the facility, he had found no guards, and that seemed strange. _Careless, _he thought. _That's not like him . . ._

Billy slipped through the opened main gate, wishing he had been able to find some other way in. Coming in the front door was risky, but he knew that Wesker wasn't expecting him yet. He wanted to use that time discrepancy to his advantage, if he could.

Billy circled each of the buildings he saw immediately, still finding no sign of Edwin, Wesker, or anyone else. So he moved on, deeper into the quarry itself. There were still old pieces of equipment and machinery here and there, long since rusted to the point that they were inoperative. A few old scales, a wrecking ball that had seen better days, and other things that provided the Marine with adequate cover as he slipped further and further into the quarry. He had left his cell phone in the car, and his communicator had been set to "stealth" mode, so any unexpected incoming messages wouldn't totally blow his cover.

He was grateful for all the precautions, as he slowly turned a corner and found himself standing behind two men, both dressed in conspicuously plain clothing. Garbed head to toe in black, both of them were armed with pistols, but didn't seem to be carrying anything more deadly than that. A threat, but a minor one, as long as he could keep the element of surprise. He crept closer to the two men, the changing wind bringing their conversation to his ears.

"Man, why do we always get stuck guarding the entrances? How do we even know this guy's gonna show?" One man asked.

"The boss hasn't been wrong yet," the second man asked. "He'll show."

"And just what are we supposed to do, huh? He told us not to kill him."

"We're not supposed to do anything to _him_. Just keep the bait from getting away and keep out any outsiders."

Billy had heard enough, and he crept up behind the first man. The butt of his handgun connected with base of the man's skull, knocking him out cold, and he sank to the ground with a dull thump. Before the other guard could pull his pistol, Billy already had the Magnum turned on him. "Breathe wrong, and I'll blow your head off," He growled.

They both knew he wasn't kidding.

Billy forced the man, at gunpoint, to carry his partner into the nearest building, tying the unconscious man up with a length of stout rope he found inside, before Billy ordered him to the ground and did the same. He gagged both of them with a couple dusty work towels somehow left behind, and then continued onward.

It was nearly in the center of the quarry itself that Billy finally caught sight of Edwin. The man was propped up against an old holding bin in the blazing sun. Billy's heart constricted when he saw that the medic was not moving. He glanced around, still saw nothing, and although he knew he was walking into a trap, he hoped that he still had the element of surprise and would catch Wesker unawares. His encounters with the two guards earlier had gone quietly, and he didn't see any sign of the big blond He walked toward Edwin, gun in his hand. He barely had time to bring it up when a dark-clad figure came seemingly out of nowhere at him.

Billy pulled the trigger, firing at his would-be attacker. The shot went wide, and the figure barreled into him, driving the Marine down. Billy's hand was slammed into the ground, the gun spinning away from him, his hat and sunglasses spinning off in the other direction. He brought his knee up hard, and threw his weight to one side, trying unsuccessfully to throw off the body pinning his down. As the world finally came into something resembling focus, Billy found himself nose-to-nose with Albert Wesker, the blond man grinning down at him. "You're early, Lieutenant," he said. "It would seem I've underestimated your resourcefulness."

"Get off of me, you son of a bitch," Billy snapped, and swung a punch at Wesker's head.

The blond's head snapped to the side, caught off-guard, and his glasses were knocked off, skittering away like Billy's had. The gaze that turned back to him was blood red. _Oh shit . . . _Billy thought, Rebecca's warning about Wesker being a bio-weapon suddenly coming to the forefront of his mind.

Wesker, on the other hand, didn't look the least bit concerned as he rose to his feet, dragging Billy up by the front of his shirt. "Now, before you accuse me of not playing fair, you really should see that your lover is all right." He released his hold on Billy, spinning the Marine around before he could recover himself. Grabbing him by the hair on the back of his head, Wesker drove the other man back down to the ground with a vicious kick to the back of one of his knees. Billy went down, and hard, only barely managing not to bite his own tongue at the impact. His knee ached like he had been hit by a two by four, and the grip on his hair made his eyes water.

Several yards away from Billy and Wesker, Edwin slowly lifted his dark head at the sound of the two male voices and the ensuing scuffle. The medic was down on his knees with his arms outstretched, his wrists wound with a rough hemp rope that had been tied to rusting, yet still strong, steel rings set in the holding bin. Wesker's men had not been overly gentle when they had all but dragged him away from the blond man earlier. Struggling against Wesker's lackeys had earned him several blows and kicks, one of which had hit him flush on the temple, the punch throwing stars up in his vision and making his head reel with dizziness. The blow had the desired effect however, with the medic ceasing his struggles while the black-clad men had quickly and efficiently bound his wrists and tied him to the metal bin.

Blinking sweat from his brown eyes, Edwin's head still felt a bit fuzzy, a combination of the blow and the lingering effects of the sedative he had been given. Having lost all concept of time, he had no idea how long he had been bound out in the sun, the heat of the metal holding bin against his back leaving his shirt soaked with sweat.

Billy forced his eyes into focus, and tried to twist enough so that he could break Wesker's grip. With a snort of contempt, the blond man hauled Billy to his feet again, spun him around, and caught him with a backhanded blow that sent him skidding over the ground. The Marine winced as he felt gravel tearing at his skin and clothing, his ears ringing a little from the hit. Even if Rebecca hadn't warned him that Wesker was something inhuman, that particular confrontation would have told him clearly enough, Wesker's blows falling a lot harder than they should have. But the skid and tumble had the unexpected bonus of letting Billy have his mobility back, and it was a small mistake the Marine was grateful for as he scrambled to his feet again, taking the few moments of respite he had been given to glance toward Edwin.

The medic's clothes were dirty, his shirt sweat-soaked. There was a blossoming bruise along one side of Edwin's face, swelling the flesh around his eye a bit; and one of the lenses of his glasses was cracked.

"B . . . B-Billy . . ." Edwin's voice was a croaked out whisper, his throat so dry that he could barely speak.

"Sorry I'm late," the Marine murmured quietly, shooting his lover an apologetic look.

"Y-You shouldn't . . . you shouldn't have come . . ." The medic managed to get out. "Go . . . r-run . . .he's . . . he's Umbrella . . ."

"The hell I'm leaving you like this." Billy murmured, but before he could say anything else, he felt a hand clamping down on his shoulder. Without thought or hesitation, Billy spun in the direction his shoulder was being pulled, bracing one fist with the palm of the other hand as he drove his elbow into his attacker. The blow landed solidly.

Wesker didn't do more than skid an inch or two. "Not bad, Lieutenant." He said, before lashing out with another punch that knocked Billy backwards into the holding bin Edwin was bound to, the metal ringing hollowly as the Marine's skull struck it.

Edwin felt the reverberation of his lover hitting the metal bin against his back. "B-Billy!" he croaked out, the medic trying to twist towards the Marine, the rough hemp rope biting into the flesh of his wrists as he pulled against it.

Billy pushed away from the bin, wavering a little as he turned his head away from both men and spat a mouthful of blood into the dirt nearby. He didn't like this, not a bit. Wesker wasn't fighting him. Wesker was _toying_ with him. Anyone who had been in a serious fight wouldn't keep giving him time to recover like this. He shook his head a little to try and clear it, and started circling Wesker again.

The two men circled one another for a time, until Billy finally broke the stalemate, swinging in at the blond man again with a solid hit that snapped the other man's head to the side. In reply to that, Wesker responded with another punch of his own, sending Billy staggering back a few steps. "I must say, Lieutenant, when my employers told me they needed me to bring in a bio-weapon, I was expecting more of a challenge than this. It's a pity." He punctuated this sentence with another sharp blow.

Billy's arms came up to deflect the blow, and the Marine was fairly certain he felt a bone crack. "I'm not . . . a bio-weapon . . . you son of a bitch," he growled.

Wesker laughed at that, swinging a punch into Billy's stomach that knocked the Marine to his knees once again. "You're not human anymore, Lieutenant." He purred into the Marine's ear, "any more than I am."

Edwin flinched at every blow that the blond man landed on his lover, the itch of tears in his dark eyes as he watched Billy go down once again. "N-No . . . s-stop . . ." the medic's voice cracked as he tried to call out.

Wesker didn't give Billy much time to dwell on that information, just a few moments for emphasis before he caught the Marine's head in a vicious kick that sent the blue-eyed man sprawling to his side on the ground, bleeding from his nose and mouth, his ears ringing, drowning out everything but Wesker's last words. Billy coughed and tried to rise to his hands and feet, only to find himself knocked down again. Movement was agony now, darkness threatening his vision every time he moved. Wesker didn't even need to strike him again as the Marine simply collapsed under his own dead weight.

"Billy!" Lifeline pulled against the ropes that held him, the medic struggling to get to his feet, the rough hemp biting into his skin. "P-Please . . . please stop . . . "

"You disappoint me, Lieutenant," Wesker said, shaking his head as he turned from the Marine and began walking toward Edwin.

The medic froze as the blond man moved towards him. "H-He's not a bio-weapon, I – I told you. The parasite is dead, we destroyed it . . . just please, leave him alone."

"Perhaps it is . . . mores the pity for him. He won't survive those injuries long," Wesker replied as he headed toward the medic again. "But perhaps it'll activate again once he's dead . . . he'd be a marvelously obedient creature then."

"It's dead!" Edwin reiterated, his tone much harder despite the tears that glistened in his dark eyes. "It won't come back."

Wesker only shrugged. "He's useful to my employers, one way or the other."

"Cobra." Lifeline all but spit the word out. "You think they'll just pay you and let you go after you hand Billy over?"

Wesker chuckled and leaned in until he was nearly nose to nose with the medic. "I think they won't have a choice."

The medic couldn't help flinching, unnerved by the blond's scarlet gaze as it fell on him. "Please . . ." he pleaded softly. "You can just let us go . . . nobody knows but us . . . I swear I won't say anything . . ."

"Oh, Edwin," Wesker shook his head and smiled a bit. "I didn't get this far by being careless . . . I can't have you running around knowing what you do. As for Coen . . ." The blond glanced back. "I think letting him go is rather beside the point."

"Please . . . whatever you want . . ."

"You're hardly in a position to promise me that," Wesker replied, a faint hint of a smirk on his lips. "Though you make it tempting to believe you. Is that how you lured the good Lieutenant away from his wife and child, perhaps?" The words were low, aimed to sting.

Edwin's coffee-colored eyes narrowed in uncharacteristic anger. His bound wrists crying out in protest against the jerk and pull, Edwin suddenly kicked out at the other man, his foot aiming for Wesker's mid-section. The blow landed lower than that, the aim thrown off by Wesker's close proximity. Wesker hadn't been expecting an attack from the other man, and the blow to the groin still hurt, sending the blond to his knees with a grunt of pain.

Lifeline didn't waste time savoring his small triumph however, the brunette striking out once again, this time aiming his kick for Wesker's close cropped head. The blow caught the man, but didn't knock him down, the former S.T.A.R.S. leader turning an enraged bloody gaze towards Edwin as he slowly rose to his feet again. "That was unwise," Wesker growled. "Unlike the Lieutenant, you're expendable."

Unconsciously, Edwin pressed his back against the sun-heated metal of the holding bin he was tied to as the other man made it to his feet, Wesker little more than half an arm's length away from him. Billy, very nearly unconscious, heard Wesker's murmured threat, a spike anger sweeping through him. He tried to move, his body responding with an explosion of pain that nearly blanked his vision. But this wasn't pain from his injuries; this was a far more intimate pain than that.

Wesker closed that distance easily enough, his hand shooting out to grip Edwin's neck, his grip hard. He was so engrossed in his task that he failed to hear the sounds of movement behind him as Billy, battered and bloodstained, sat up

Lifeline barely had time to gasp as the other man's fingers encircled his throat, the blond man lifting him from his feet slightly as he tightened his grip, effectively cutting off the medic's oxygen supply as he struggled in Wesker's one-handed grasp.

"Leave. Him. Alone."

The sound of a voice behind him brought Wesker back to himself, and he released Edwin abruptly as he turned. Billy was on his knees now, rising slowly to his feet, his movements stiff and slow. Wesker smiled, the expression altogether unpleasant.

Edwin unceremoniously hit the ground, his knees going out from underneath him as he was abruptly dropped, his arms crying out in protest as the ropes pulled taunt once again. Down on his knees in the gravel dotted dirt, his dark head bowed, the medic sucked in air.

Billy's eyes narrowed as he staggered forward a step, his bruises already beginning to fade, barely wincing as a rib was jolted back into place. "Leave him alone," the Marine repeated, his tone steadier now, louder, and possessed not of the Marine's usual red-eyed anger, but a cold-burning rage that left him extremely focused.

Hearing his lover's voice, Lifeline raised his head, the medic still trying to get his breath back even as he struggled to his feet, once again jerking against the ropes that held his arms outstretched. Leaning against the sun-heated metal of the bin, Edwin's dark eyes were on his lover, a small gasp of surprise escaping from him as a rather livid bruise on Billy's jaw began to fade away before his eyes.

"I knew you wouldn't disappoint me, Lieutenant." Wesker all but purred as he started moving toward the Marine again, but more cautiously now.

"Shut up," the Marine growled. "I'm gonna fucking tear you apart."

_ Oh god . . ._ As Edwin watched Billy approach Wesker, the sunlight seemed to flash off his lover's eyes making them gleam golden, much like the eyes of a cat.

Billy and Wesker began circling one another again, each movement of Billy's causing a ripple of motion under his skin that wasn't entirely his own muscle. The Marine's gaze was narrow, promising death to the blond he was facing off against, Wesker's own expression almost ecstatic

They were two predators, both of them intent on a kill. This time, it was Wesker who grew impatient, and lunged at Billy, who sidestepped the attack just enough to let him land a punch in the blond's stomach, making Wesker double over his fist.

His arms slack against the ropes, Lifeline limply stood and watched as the battle between the Marine and the other man was renewed, his brown eyes following Billy's every movement now that it appeared that the Trojan Horse parasite had not been completely destroyed after all.

After that first blow, the two men went at each other with no holds barred. And although Wesker was the more powerful bio-weapon, Billy was the better trained fighter, and slowly began wearing down on the blond Where training and strength didn't serve him, pure unbridled anger did, and Billy eventually began overpowering the other man, clearly intent on keeping his earlier promise. He took the blows Wesker landed on him without flinching, responding with punches of his own that made Wesker stagger.

Unbidden tears rolled down Edwin's cheeks as he watched Billy and the blond man trade blows, many of which would have killed, if not seriously injured, a normal human being. _Normal human being . . . no_, the medic said to himself. _He's not a monster . . . he's not a monster . . . _the words were like a mantra, tumbling over and over in Lifeline's mind as the battle between the two men raged on.

Wesker finally launched into a vicious kick that sent Billy tumbling to the ground, taken off-guard by the blow. He came to a stop near his Magnum, however, and things came to an abrupt standstill as Wesker found himself on the wrong end of the powerful weapon. "I don't care how fucking strong you think you are," Billy growled. "Not even a Tyrant's been able to stand up to this thing."

"Billy! No!" Edwin called out, the medic pulling against the ropes that held him.

"You should listen to him," Wesker murmured, seeming unaffected by the weapon.

"Shut up!" Billy snarled.

The Marine's gun was pointed at Wesker's head, mere inches from his close-cropped blond skull, Billy's finger poised on the trigger.

"We have to take him in Billy . . ." the medic tried once again to reason with his lover.

"You know as well as I do they won't be able to hold him" Billy murmured back, his eyes narrowing when Wesker tried to move even a little; the blond was glaring daggers at him, but Billy held the Magnum steady.

"Billy . . . please . . ." the medic's voice pleaded with his lover. "Don't make him right. You're not like him . . . "

Whether it was those words from Edwin's lips, or the tone of his voice, it was impossible to tell, but Billy faltered a little at that, and suddenly Wesker was moving again, striking out at the Marine's jaw, his hand going for Billy's gun. The two struggled for a moment, before the gun went off and Billy dropped, clutching at his thigh as Wesker darted away, shouting orders into a radio, commanding a full retreat.

"BILLY!" Edwin screamed out the other man's name, straining against the ropes that held him.

The Marine tried to rise to his feet, and pursue Wesker, but it was too late. The blond already had too great a head start; and while the wound was already starting to close, his leg wouldn't yet support his weight.

"Billy!" The medic once again called out to the other brunette, his coffee-colored eyes moist with tears.

"I'm all right," Billy called out, pulling his knife and using it to speed the removal of the bullet, hissing as he freed the piece of lead from his flesh.

"Oh my god . . . are you okay?" Edwin could only watch even as he continued to struggle and pull at the rope, the rough hemp holding firm.

"Yeah . . ." Billy forced himself to his feet again, ignoring the bleeding wound. It was nothing; he could feel it closing down even as he staggered slowly toward his bound lover. The medic stopped his struggles as the Marine closed in on him, the golden glow fading from Billy's eyes as he reached Lifeline.

"Jesus Christ, they did a number on you," Billy murmured softly, wiping the blade of the knife on his jeans, cleaning his own blood away, before starting to cut the ropes binding the other man. "Stay still . . ."

Edwin did as he was instructed, though his dark eyes flicked over Billy's form while the Marine sawed through the ropes that held him. The medic's legs and arms were scratched, the result of being dragged and manhandled by Wesker's lackeys. In addition to the bruise on the side of Lifeline's face, his throat was mottled with the beginnings of several bruises, compliments of Albert Wesker's near fatal death grip earlier.

"I'm sorry about this," Billy whispered as he cut at the ropes, trying to be careful not to accidentally slice his lover in the process. The medic stayed quiet before sagging a bit against the Marine once he was freed, his arms falling limply to his sides, his muscles burning from being held outstretched for so long, his wrists raw from the rough hemp rubbing against his skin while he had struggled and pulled against his bonds.

"Anything seriously injured?" Billy asked softly.

"I don't think so." Edwin replied, his tone soft as well. "Although I think I'm a little dehydrated . . . I'll be okay . . ."

"We'll fix that once we get outta here," Billy said. "But let's get you out of the sun . . ." Falling silent then, Billy helped Edwin over to one of the buildings, easing his lover down in the shade of the structure. The other brunette sank down to the ground, leaning back against the weathered wood of the building and closing his eyes. Billy watched him for a moment, then dropped down beside him. After a moment's hesitation, as he took stock of Edwin's injuries again, he then slid an arm around his lover's shoulders and pulled him close.

Lifeline turned a bit, gratefully pressed into Billy's embrace, the medic slowly sliding his arm around the Marine's waist as his dark head rested on the other man's muscled shoulder. Billy felt the need to speak, to try and say something to break the silence that surrounded them, but found that he couldn't. There were no words for the emotions going through him, no good way to described how scared he had been for Edwin, and how grateful he was that the medic was now safe.

Likewise, Edwin could do nothing but cling to his lover and revel in the feel of Billy's warm body against his. In the three years that the two had known each other, the Marine had been close to losing his life just as many times. Yet unlike those previous times, it was the medic himself who had been used to try to bring about Billy's demise and the guilt that he felt over being so gullible and easily deceived brought tears to his dark eyes.

The medic's breath hitched a bit, and Billy made a soft sound, hugging Edwin a little bit closer. "You gonna be okay?" he asked, his voice a mere whisper.

"I'm sorry . . . so sorry . . ." Lifeline murmured against his lover's shoulder. "This is all my fault, I'm sorry . . ."

Billy's arm tightened around Edwin's shoulders, and he gave his lover a gentle nuzzle. "It's okay, Edwin," He murmured. "It's okay . . . I'm just glad you're safe."

"He could've killed you and it would've been all my fault . . ."

"But he didn't, and it's not," Billy insisted quietly, closing his eyes and gently letting his head rest against Edwin's.

The medic lifted his head a bit and pressed a shaky kiss to the Marine's jaw, heedless of the drying blood and dirt on the other man's face.

Billy smiled and moved his head away from that kiss, but only for a moment before he caught Edwin's lips with his own. There was no gentility in that kiss. The experience that the two of them had just been through demanding something much more needy and almost desperate.

It was only the need for oxygen that finally forced them to pull apart, and Billy hugged Edwin to him again. "We . . . oughta get going soon," he murmured quietly. "I don't wanna take a chance on running into 'em again . . ." The medic nodded his dark head a bit before loosening his hold on the Marine a bit, though he didn't immediately pull away.

Billy rose slowly to his feet, drawing Edwin with him and keeping the other man close as they headed for the front gate of the quarry, stopping only long enough for the Marine to retrieve his hat and gun, not wanting to leave _too_ obvious a sign he'd been there.

As the two made their way back to where Billy had left the rented SUV, he filled Edwin in on Albert Wesker, from his involvement in the Spencer Mansion incident to his becoming a bio-weapon. He also mentioned that it had been Rebecca who had recognized the blond's picture and alerted Billy as to his true identity. The medic listened silently, finding himself somewhat repulsed by the knowledge that he had actually liked Charles Foxwell . . . no, Albert Wesker. Edwin had virtually invited the man into his and Billy's lives, trusting him with their most intimate secret, when all the while, the former S.T.A.R.S. commander had been using him, preying on the medic's trusting manner to get close and lure Billy into a trap.

"So see?" Billy said in conclusion as they reached the SUV, opening the passenger door and holding it for Edwin. "There's nothing to blame yourself over. The fucker did his homework; he knew how to play us both."

Lifeline nodded his head as he regarded his lover before climbing up into the passenger seat. Though it was true and made perfect sense, Edwin still couldn't help but blame himself for having been too trusting and for not taking Billy's concerns about the blond man seriously.

Billy circled around the vehicle, checking the underside of it before opening the driver's door and popping the hood. It was paranoid, he knew, but he had left the vehicle unattended more than long enough for one of Wesker's goons to have rigged a bomb in the vehicle. Billy suppressed a sudden shudder at the thought when he realized he hadn't even thought to check the SUV over before coming to find Edwin._ That was sloppy, Coen,_ he chided himself as he finished checking the engine over. Finding nothing suspicious, he closed the hood and climbed back into the vehicle.

His safety belt secure, Edwin waited a bit nervously for his lover to finish his inspection and get in the vehicle. The medic couldn't help but feel a bit relieved when Billy turned over the ignition and put the vehicle in gear, the Marine all but peeling out of the concealed area he had parked in and out onto the road and back towards Monterey.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

The Marine's blue eyes were glued to the rear view mirror on the way home, and they took a fairly circuitous route back to the bungalow, Billy taking a few side turns when it seemed a vehicle was following them too closely. As they reached the bungalow, Billy pulled the SUV in, and killed the engine. ". . . I wanna check out his place before we settle," Billy murmured. "But I really don't wanna leave you alone right now."

"I think I can handle a little recon mission, Devil Dog sir."

"C'mon, then," Billy said, smiling a little. "I'll feel better with you there to watch my back, anyway."

Unfastening their seat belts, the two men slipped out of the vehicle, both of them scanning the area around their own cottage before making their way towards the one that Albert Wesker had been occupying.

* * *

There was no vehicle parked in the drive, but Billy hadn't expected one. His hand lightly on his gun, the Marine crept onto the back porch, surprisingly quiet in spite of his boots. He moved to one of the back windows, and raised himself up slowly to look through the dusty glass. " . . . Well I'll be damned," He murmured.

Edwin, who had been trailing behind the other man moved up closer to Billy. "What is it?" he whispered from over the Marine's shoulder. "Is he in there?"

"Nope," Billy said, shaking his head. "And it looks like nobody else is, either. The place is empty, at least as far as I can see."

"We probably should check anyway," the medic said. "Maybe he left something behind – something we might be able to use to track him down."

Billy nodded, and moved for the back door, checking the knob. He was a little surprised when the door opened easily. "Must've been in a hell of a hurry."

"Be careful." Edwin cautioned, though he knew it was unwarranted. Billy glanced over his shoulder and smiled a little. "I will," he replied, before moving into the bungalow. The medic hung back in the doorway a bit, periodically glancing over his shoulder, his dark eyes scanning the area.

Billy moved through the abandoned bungalow slowly, checking for booby traps as he went, but finding nothing. It was as if no one had stayed there at all; all traces of the previous occupant were gone.

Almost.

Sitting on the kitchen counter was a single, small black case. Billy recognized it immediately; it was a VHS cassette. As he approached, he saw there was a brightly-colored square attached to it. Drawing closer, he saw that a sticky note had been affixed to the case. _Enjoy the show, _had been written on it in block letters.

The medic waited nervously, his gaze shifting from the interior of the small house to the outside. Edwin did slip a little further inside and close the door over, leaving it open only a small crack as a car passed by. Billy frowned and lifted the VHS tape. There was no mistaking who the note was meant for, or who had left it. Clearly, Albert Wesker had intended for him to find it. "Hey, Edwin?" He called out.

Lifeline started a little at the sudden sound of his lover's voice, the dark haired man taking a last glance out the slightly opened door before quietly making his way towards the kitchen. "Did you find something?" he asked as he entered the room.

"Yeah," Billy said, turning and holding up the tape. "Somebody left me a gift."

Edwin's brows knitted together as he looked at the black case in the other man's hand. "What is it?"

"A video. Hell if I know what's on it. We got a player at the house?"

The medic nodded. "Yeah, there's a DVD/VCR combo hooked up to the television in the living room."

"C'mon, then. We found what the fucker wanted us to. Let's see what he wants us to see."

* * *

Lifeline followed Billy as the pair made their way back through the main living room and out of the cottage, locking and closing the door behind them. Still wary, they retraced their steps back to their own bungalow. Before unlocking the door, Billy made a circuit around the small building checking the windows, the deck and the back door. Not finding anything suspicious or out of place, the Marine unlocked the front door.

Once he had, he ushered Edwin inside, did one last look around, then closed and locked the door, pulling off his bloodied shirt as he went, wanting the rapidly stiffening fabric off his skin. The medic immediately headed for the kitchen, retrieving a much needed bottle of water from the refrigerator and wasting no time in guzzling half of it down. Billy headed into the utility/laundry room, pulling off the rest of his clothing, save his boxer briefs, and then padded barefoot toward the living room, and toward the TV.

The medic took a few moments to splash his face with cool water from the kitchen sink before taking the remainder of his water and making his way into the living room. Billy had just finished turning on the TV and was in the process of loading the video into the player. Edwin settled on the sofa and removed his glasses. Using the hem of his shirt, he cleaned the lenses, careful of the one that was cracked. Luckily he always carried a spare pair when he traveled, but he was too curious to see what was on the tape to go and retrieve them.

Billy finished loading the tape, and walked over to sit next to his lover, perched on the edge of his seat, visibly tense as the machine came to life and the tape began to play. Billy felt all the blood rush from his face as he watched the scene play out silently; it was a surveillance video.

A dimly lit room. A trap door opening, one Billy knew had been almost deafeningly loud in the silence of the building, and silently he watched a younger version of himself vault up out of a hole in the floor, Rebecca Chambers right behind him. Lifeline's brows furrowed a bit, the medic tilting his head a bit as he watched the tape, immediately recognizing Rebecca, though she looked much younger, barely more than a teenager. "What's this?" he asked Billy, his dark eyes riveted to the screen.

"A surveillance video . . . taken almost nine years ago now, I think it would've been," Billy murmured quietly. "That hole we're coming out of . . . led down into a sewer, and then to an underground train station . . . that son of a bitch knew . . . he knew the whole fucking time . . ."

Edwin's forehead creased a bit more. "This is from that Umbrella facility that you and Rebecca were trapped in, isn't it?"

Billy nodded. "He must've been there . . ."

Lifeline looked over at the other man. "But I thought that you and Rebecca were the only ones who got trapped inside?"

"I don't think he was trapped. Not if he got a hold of this tape . . ."

"Then he already knew, the whole time, who you were."

Billy nodded. "He at least knew about me . . . and my tie to Rebecca . . ." The Marine shuddered. "That's why he asked about her . . ."

Edwin blinked. "He asked you about Rebecca? I don't remember that."

"You weren't there," Billy murmured. "It was that day he had lunch with us."

"Oh my god . . ." the medic said. "You don't think he'll go after her do you?"

"I hope not," Billy said. "I hope he doesn't go after my family, either . . . he knows about Rob, Edwin, he's heard me talk about him . . ."

Edwin's hand went up to his mouth, his dark eyes widening. "Oh god . . ." he murmured, recalling Wesker's barb about the medic "stealing" Billy away from his family. The Marine barely heard his lover as he stopped the tape and stood, swearing softly under his breath as he started to pace.

Lifeline quietly watched his lover for a few quiet moments. "I don't think we should stay here," he said softly. "Not more than a night," Billy murmured. "Go somewhere else . . . I've gotta call my family tomorrow . . . make sure they know . . . what little I can tell 'em..."

Nodding, Edwin rose to his feet and stepped towards the other brunette. "If you want, we can cut things short and you can go out there."

"Well . . . we'd talked about letting Robby stay out here with us . . . why don't we pick him up and finish our trip somewhere out there?" Billy asked, slowing his pacing a little. "Lake Havasu?" the medic offered up, it being a state park not too far from Billy's hometown of Parker, Arizona that the pair had camped at after first meeting.

"That wouldn't be too far off, we could kidnap the kid on the way there . . . yeah, yeah that sounds good . . ."

Edwin reached out and laid his hand lightly on Billy's tattooed forearm. "Don't worry," he said softly. "The Joes won't let anything happen to them."

Billy stopped at that gentle touch, looked at Edwin silently for a few moments, then offered a small nod, dropping his gaze. The very idea of Wesker getting a hold of his son, or his remaining family made him more than a little ill. The idea that he knew about the connection between him and Rebecca, and had furthermore found out about the parasite inside of him didn't sit well either, and it was all the Marine could do to fend off the urge to panic; that wouldn't solve anything, and it was likely exactly what the bastard wanted.

The medic's hand slipped away as he brought it up to the side of his lover's stubble-roughened face. "C'mon," he said softly, his coffee colored eyes gentle as he lifted the Marine's face up a bit. "Let's get cleaned up and then we can make plans to leave."

Billy's dark blue eyes met Edwin's, and he nodded a little, offering a shaky smile. "All right." Lifeline leaned in closer and lightly brushed his lips over the other brunette's, his fingers gently sliding from Billy's cheek, his hand dropping down to clasp his lover's.

Billy's smile grew a bit at that. "C'mon," he said. "A shower sounds good." The medic nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips as the Marine gently pulled him towards the bathroom.

* * *

The pair showered together, neither one of them quite wanting to leave the other alone. Under other circumstances it would have more than likely led to something much more intimate between them. As it was, they stepped out and toweled off, Billy insisting on taking another walk through of the house, towel wrapped around hips, to make sure that nothing had changed while they had been in the shower. While his lover did that, Edwin made his way into the bedroom to pull out his mini field kit and retrieve his spare pair of glasses. Wearing nothing but a towel around his hips as well, he settled down on the edge of the bed and flipped open the kit.

Billy joined him soon afterwards, a little more relaxed now that he'd confirmed for himself things were fine, and all the doors and windows were locked. He had his magnum with him when he came back into the bedroom, leaving it on the nightstand next to his side of the bed before sitting on the edge of the bed near his lover. "Want some help?" He murmured softly.

Lifeline looked up, the medic having been in the process of slathering one of his wrists with an anti-biotic salve when the Marine entered. "I think I can use a little."

"Sure," Billy said with a nod, moving the kit to the side a little and settling in front of Edwin instead.

Like the rest of the Joes, Billy had been given a crash course in basic first aid and CPR after joining the team; and Edwin couldn't help smiling a bit as his lover took charge of seeing to the rope burns on the medic's wrists.

Even aside from the crash course, Billy had had a rudimentary course before in the Corps, but the refresher hadn't hurt and he was glad for it now, as he picked up were Edwin left off, coating the rope burns with ointment before binding them loosely and then checking over Edwin's other injuries as well.

The rope burns seemed to be the worst of the lot, though the medic would be sporting a rather nice black eye for several days to come. The rest of his injuries were mostly superficial, scrapes and bruises that would heal and fade over time.

When Billy was done, he packed away the med kit, setting it on the floor out of the way, before pulling Edwin into an embrace. Lifeline sank into his lover's arms, sliding his own around the other man.

"This place won't take long to pack up...we can do it in the morning," Billy murmured. "I'll call Heather and tell her we're picking up Rob, then call my sister. She can warn the rest of the family about the blond wacko in the sunglasses..."

The medic nodded slightly. "I'll call Havasu and see if they have an open plot," he said. "We'll have to get some gear along the way. One of us should contact Rebecca and let her know about Wesker - and headquarters too."

"I'll take care of all that," Billy said. "I'll call the Realtor too and let her know that we're leaving." Edwin added. "I'll just tell her we had an emergency or something."

"Sounds good."

The medic sighed softly. Though Billy had tried to reassure his lover that what had happened had not been his fault, Edwin still couldn't help feeling like he had become a liability to the Marine, this latest incident being the second time that Cobra had tried to use the medic as a means to capture Billy.

"If you're blaming yourself again," Billy murmured softly. "Stop. I don't blame you for this."

"I invited him into our lives Billy . . ."

Billy shook his head and tightened his hold on the medic. "No, you didn't. That son of a bitch psycho was just fucking with our heads because he _could_. According to Rebecca, he _likes_ that kinda thing."

"Still, its because of me that he got close enough to be able to," Edwin murmured. "Like you said, I'm just too trusting."

"And like you reminded me," Billy replied. "If you weren't, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"And now we'll spend the rest of our lives looking over our shoulders waiting for him to make another move."

"Not so different from day to day life as a soldier, Edwin," Billy replied softly. "Especially doing what we do."

Lifeline sighed again. "I just wish this would all end."

"So do I...but since we can't do anything about it tonight...I say we get cozy and try to get some sleep, so we're ready for tomorrow."

"Sounds like a plan," the other brunette said after a few moments. "Soldier boy."


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Morning came all too soon, and with it, a series of calls amidst packing. Billy spoke with HQ first, explaining that the situation was under control, that all the injuries incurred were minor, and that their enemy had escaped. Billy's team was taken off standby, and the Marine promised Duke a full report by the time he returned to the Pit. Duke didn't seem thrilled, but agreed the paperwork could wait for the moment, though he made it clear he wanted a full explanation when Billy reported in for duty again. It wasn't a great solution, Billy knew, but it would buy him some time to think.

The call to his sister Rachel went quickly. He outlined the problem to her, simply saying he'd had a run in with someone who had a grudge, and if she or anyone else in the family received a caller who was blond, wearing sunglasses, and went by any of a number of aliases, that they should call the police immediately. Then, he called Heather.

How he got through that conversation without a screaming match, Billy didn't know. He eventually assumed he had caught his ex-wife on an abnormally good day, as the conversation was civil and the woman agreed to let Robby go camping with his father for the rest of his vacation. Billy thanked her, gave an approximate time he would arrive, and then hung up the phone to finish his packing.

While Billy alternated between the kitchen and the outside deck as he worked his way through the series of phone calls, Edwin made a few of his own. After obtaining the number through information, the medic used his cell phone to call the office at Lake Havasu to reserve a campsite. That finished, he then contacted the Realtor that had gone through to rent the beach house to let her know that they would be vacating the house that day, the two having been called back due to an emergency. With that task taken care of, he then took advantage of the land line in the bungalow to search for outdoor sport stores, finding a couple along the route they would be taking to Parker. After writing down the store locations, Lifeline had powered down the laptop and finished his own packing. Once the two were finished, they made a lost circuit around the interior looking for anything that they might have missed before cleaning out the refrigerator and cupboards, tossing what they couldn't or didn't want to take with them.

Once that was finished, they loaded up the last of their things into the SUV, climbed in, and were on their way.

* * *

The two took turns driving, both of them keeping an eye on the rear view mirror, still wary that Wesker and/or his men might be trailing them. It wasn't until they had left California that either one of them relaxed their vigil, stopping to get something to eat and check out one of the stores that Edwin had found on line, the pair loading up the back of the SUV with camping and fishing gear. They also took the opportunity to purchase fishing licenses as well. It was perhaps two hours later that Billy and Edwin were back on the road, the two discussing having the medic go on ahead to Havasu with Billy and Robby following a few hours later which would give the Marine time to see some of his family.

Billy agreed to this, though tentatively, a part of him still wary of being separated from the medic. But by the time they had hit another town with a car rental place, Billy had considered the situation thoroughly and agreed to the temporary separation. While the Marine went into the rental office, Edwin took the opportunity to gas up the current vehicle at a station just down the block. By the time he returned, Billy was waiting outside the office, a Jeep Wrangler parked and waiting nearby.

"So," Billy said, "Who's taking which?"

"Since this one has everything already in it, I'll stick with this one." Lifeline replied. "I can get everything situated by the time you and Robby get there."

"All right," Billy said and smiled a little. "Be careful, okay?"

"I will," his lover replied, returning the smile with a faint one of his own. "Give me a call when you two get on the road." Edwin started to climb back into the SUV.

"I will," Billy said with a nod, and headed off for the Wrangler again. The two pulled out of the lot, the medic following the Marine, the pair keeping pace with one another out on the highway before Lifeline exited off, beeping the horn at his lover as he did so.

Billy raised a hand to Edwin, then settled back for the drive to Heather's.

Billy took a little longer than he had originally intended when he finally made it into Parker. He made a point of stopping to check on his sister first. The two had talked for a little while, before Billy begged off so he could go pick up Robby. True to form, Rachel managed to look lovingly put out by the suggestion, and sent Billy on his way with a punch in the shoulder and a big hug.

* * *

The stop at Heather's was blessedly brief, for both parents involved. Robby, clearly excited about getting a chance to hang out with his dad and go camping, was packed and more than ready to go by the time Billy got there. Giving his mom a hug and a kiss goodbye, Robby loaded his own things into the vehicle, and soon father and son were soon following Edwin's path toward Lake Havasu.

Meanwhile, Lifeline made it to the state park with more than enough time to spare to get things squared away before his lover arrived with his son in tow. After checking in with the park office to find out which site they had been assigned, he made his way to the wooded clearing and unloaded the SUV. Erecting the tent turned out to be more than a one man job, despite directions to the contrary on its packaging. Edwin was saved from muttering a litany of choice words that would have made Billy smile by his neighbors in the next site, the pair happening by as he was struggling with the canvas shelter. Once that obstacle had been taken care of, it was only a matter of setting up the rest of the supplies and equipment. As he worked, Edwin couldn't help the growing sense of anxious nervousness that crept over him.

By the time Billy pulled into the park, got similar directions to the campsite, and paid the extra fee for his own vehicle, he was starting to feel nervous himself. Although he and Edwin had been together nearly three years, schedules just hadn't really fallen into place well enough for him to introduce Robby. The two knew each other through intermittent phone contact, but that was about it.

As he reached their campsite, though, Billy shoved that thought from his mind, and concentrated on pulling the vehicle in next to Edwin's. Inside the tent, Edwin heard the crunch of tire wheels as a vehicle came to a stop close by, the dark-haired finding a sudden lump forming in throat as he finished unpacking the sleeping bags.

Billy climbed out of the jeep first, followed by Robby, who immediately circled around to grab his things from the back of the Wrangler. The two walked side by side into the campground. Straightening up, Lifeline closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, trying to steel the nervous fluttering in his stomach. Opening his coffee colored eyes, the medic unconsciously smoothed his hands over his clothes before running a hand through his hair. _ He's just a little boy . . ._ he said to himself. _ But he's Billy's little boy . . ._ Lifeline broke off that thought.

Billy frowned a little as he looked around and didn't see Edwin. Robby walked over to the picnic table that was holding all the other fishing gear and set his stuff down. "He's here, right?"

Billy's voice was surprisingly calm and steady, in spite of the paranoid little burst of panic. "He's probably just laying stuff out in the tent or something."

Edwin heard the voices outside, immediately recognizing his lover's. _Now or never . . . god, I just wish I didn't look like I was in a train wreck . . ._ Stepping towards the entrance, the medic pulled back the door flap and stepped outside.

Billy and Robby heard the rustle of canvas and turned as one. Robby was already at least as tall as his father, starting to edge up past him by just a little bit. He had spiky blond hair, and a basketball player's build in contrast to his father's bulk. But one look at the boy's face, even without Billy standing right there, left no questions as to who his father was; the boy had his father's eyes.

Robby grinned as he saw Edwin, a lopsided expression very like Billy's, only to take in the medic's battered face, and his blue eyes widened. "Holy cow," he said. "How big was the truck?"

Billy cuffed the boy lightly on the back of the head. "Behave," he hissed.

Robby gave his father an indignant look. "I was!"

Edwin felt the warmth of a faint blush as it warmed his cheeks. "It was a Mack truck." he said, giving the pair a nervous looking smile as he started towards them.

Billy blinked, not having expected Edwin's reply. Robby just laughed and stepped forward, meeting the medic part way and extending his hand. "I'm Robby," He said, smiling.

The medic took the young man's offered hand and gave it a firm shake. "It's nice to finally meet you Robby," he said. "I'm Edwin."


End file.
